Private Eye Was Private Spy, Prosecutor Says
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
LOS ANGELES — Private eye Anthony Pellicano was the architect of a criminal enterprise that raked in more than $2 million by spying on Hollywood’s rich and famous, a federal prosecutor said yesterday during opening statements in Mr. Pellicano’s wiretapping trial.
Clients “would pay a premium fee to discredit, and in some cases destroy, their adversaries,” prosecutor Kevin Lally said while laying out the government’s case against Mr. Pellicano and four codefendants.
Mr. Pellicano, 63, is accused of wiretapping phones and bribing police and telephone workers to intercept conversations that could give his clients an advantage in legal disputes. Among those allegedly targeted were Sylvester Stallone and comedians Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon.
Mr. Lally called Mr. Pellicano a prolific snoop who also taped his own discussions with clients. He said a treasure trove of recordings seized during a 2000 FBI raid on Pellicano’s office paint a “clear and crystal” picture of the detective’s shady dealings.
In that sense, “he’s the biggest government informant in this case,” Mr. Lally said.
