ATLANTA — Authorities yesterday arrested a New York man charged with trying to extort money from embattled celebrity cook Paula Deen in exchange for not going to the media with “true and damning statements” he said she made.
FBI agents and sheriff’s deputies arrested Thomas George Paculis, 62, of upstate Newfield yesterday morning.
A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in federal court in Savannah, Ga., charges him with extortion. It says he was threatening to go to the media with statements made by Deen unless the former Food Network star gave him $250,000.
It does not specify what the statements were.
Paculis did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment yesterday. A call to a phone number listed for him rang unanswered.
He had his initial court appearance yesterday in New York and was released on bond, the FBI said. He must appear in federal court in Savannah on July 16.