Bahamian Politician Pleads Innocent to Travolta Extortion Plot

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Bahamian Politician Pleads Innocent to Travolta Extortion Plot

Wed., Jan. 28, 2009 12:20 PM PST by Josh Grossberg and Ashley Fultz

Kelly Preston, Ella Travolta, Jett Travolta, John Travolta

Lucky Mat/Getty Images

A former Bahamian lawmaker today became the second suspect to plead not guilty to charges of conspiring to extort $25 million from John Travolta and Kelly Preston in the wake of their son Jett's tragic death.

Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater was arraigned this morning on one count of "Abetment to extort" and "conspiracy to commit extortion."

"I believe she was released on $40,000 bail and resigned from her position as senator," Royal Bahamas Police Assistant Commissioner Raymond Gibson tells E! News.

The other suspect in the case, paramedic Tarino Lightborne, was charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion and entered his not guilty plea on Monday.

A third person taken into custody, MP Obie Wilchcombe, a family friend of the Travoltas and a former Minister of Tourism for the island nation, was cleared of wrongdoing and is said to have assisted police in their investigation.

"No criminal charges were brought against him," said Gibson.

The official declined to divulge further information regarding the extent of Bridgewater's alleged involvement in the scheme or the details of the conversations she had withTravolta's attorney that led to her arrest.

"We want to try this case in court; not in the media," Gibson said.

Details regarding the nature of the extortion plot are fuzzy.

But a certain document at the heart of the complaint is a refusal-to-transport form, which waives first responders from all liability when signed by a party that refuses emergency medical aid from trained personnel for minor injuries.

Officials believe the document is in Lightbourne's possession and he remains held without bail for fear that if the 47-year-old medic is released, it could end up disappearing.

Jett Travolta died unexpectedly of a seizure Jan. 2 at the Grand Bahama villa where the family was on holiday. Shortly after the 16-year-old's death, Travolta's lawyers were informed of the purported extortion demands and filed a criminal complaint with police.