Letterman Case Is Closed With Guilty Plea From Blackmailer

On his show Tuesday night, David Letterman publicly thanked the authorities who handled the lawsuit he filed against former CBS producer Joe Halderman as the high-profile extortion case came to an end with Halderman pleading guilty to attempted grand larceny. He was sentenced to six months in jail, five years of probation, and 1,000 hours of community service in a Manhattan court Tuesday.

The scandal first broke out in October of last year when Halderman blackmailed the Late Show host and asked for $2 million in exchange for his silence about Letterman’s sexual relations with a member of his staff, whom Halderman had previously dated. In an uncharacteristically somber moment on the show last fall, Letterman publicly confessed to the affair and admitted that he was being blackmailed. Halderman was arrested the next day.

The Late Show host said he was "full of anxiety, and nervous, and worried" when he first came to the prosecutors, but commended them for their skill and professionalism. "When they became involved with this case, I had complete faith that a just and appropriate result was inevitable," he said. "On behalf of my family, I am extremely grateful for their tireless efforts." –KRIS ALCANTARA