Did Sylvester Stallone really abuse his half-sister Toni-Ann Filiti? HuffPost Canada published yesterday and updated today that, “According to the papers, the actor's late half-sister, who died in August from lung cancer, “asserted claims for personal injury, including physical injury against Stallone, who denied and continues to deny all her claims. Sources told the Post that the star was a victim of blackmail -- a claim that is being backed up by the actor and Filiti's mother, Jacqueline Stallone. “
HuffPost goes on to say Jacqueline told the paper, “This was nothing more than a shakedown,”, adding that her daughter was a drug addict who would do anything for money, and lawyers drew up the settlement at the height of her son's career so they wouldn't have to deal with her. “
Stallone has always denied the claims though he did pay the settlement. A representative for Stallone said, “Celebrities often find themselves the target of blackmail by family members who fabricate claims to extort money from them. “
Many fans and media people are seeing this story as pure fabrication. However, Edd, Filiti’s son maintains that he mother told him she was the black sheep of the family and she was abused for many years. HuffPost states, that Edd had a strained relationship with his uncle and went on Facebook making accusations that he later took down.
Is Stallone another victim of celebrity blackmail and extortion? Business Insider remarks, “With their high profile lifestyles, blockbuster paychecks, and status in Hollywood, celebrities are often the easiest targets for extortion and blackmail. Past victims have included daytime talk show host Opray Winfrey, Rob Lowe and John Travolta, and even "Cheetah Girl" Adrienne Bailon.”
Here is a list of a few celebrities provided by Business Insider who have been blackmailed by family:
In 1988 Autumn Jackson claimed to be Bill Cosby’s illegitimate daughter and wanted $40 million dollars from him. She got a five-year jail term for her efforts.
“In 2008 Rob Lowe's former nanny Laura Boyce blackmailed him and his wife demanding a payment of $1.5 million or else she would accuse him of sexual harassment. She eventually leaked the information to the press and Lowe sued for breach of privacy. A judge eventually ruled against Boyce, stating that she had violated her confidentiality contract.”
Regis Philbin was threatened by his ex-daughter-in-law for money to maintain her drug habit. She threatened to kill him if he didn’t comply. Danny Philbin, Regis' wheelchair-bound son, charged Judy with extortion and got a restraining order against her.
Stallone like many other celebrities is the target of a money extortion scam. In cases like these it is very hard to know the real story behind the blackmail.
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