CALIFORNIA: Gay Porn Actor Found Guilty Of Extorting Telecom Tycoon Donald Burns

Via Courthouse News Service:

A gay porn actor was found guilty Thursday of extorting and attempting to extort $1.5 million from a Florida-based business tycoon. The case ended Thursday afternoon after about two hours of deliberation, with the jury delivering a guilty verdict against defendant Teofil Brank, who performs as Jarec Wentworth, on all six of the government's charges.

Brank, flushed and on the verge of tears, buried his head in his hands after the jurors left the courtroom. His defense attorney Seema Ahmad wept as two U.S. Marshals cuffed and chained Brank, who was dressed in a white-collared blue shirt, gray pants and black shoes. Brank's criminal trial began on Tuesday. He was charged with extorting Florida tycoon Donald Burns.

During trial, jurors heard salacious details, including Burns' bid to have a gay porn movie shoot on his multimillion dollar cliffside estate, lurid testimony about sex parties and Burns' very public relationship with another former gay model and porn star. In a stunning admission, a male prostitute confirmed he was reluctant to talk to authorities because of his relationship with a "powerful" individual. "David Geffen" was the name he uttered on the second day of proceedings.

Efforts to contact Geffen - billionaire philanthropist, founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of Dreamworks SKG - or his representatives were unsuccessful. Brank was arrested in an FBI sting at a Starbucks near LAX as he tried to blackmail Burns for $1 million. By that time, Brank had already persuaded Burns to hand over his Audi R8 sports car and wire $500,000 from a Goldman Sachs account to a Wells Fargo bank account under Brank's name.

Brank faces six to nine years in federal prison. He will be sentenced in September. (Tipped by JMG reader TJ)

FLORIDA: Telecom Tycoon ID'd As Target Of Alleged Extortion By Gay Porn Actor

Via Courthouse News Service:

A Florida-based tycoon was identified as the target of an alleged $1.5 million extortion attempt by a gay porn actor during the first day of the actor's criminal trial. Taking the stand Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Judge's John Walter's courtroom, Donald Burns of Palm Beach said he paid defendant Teofil Brank $1,500 to $2,500 each time the actor referred him to male models and adult performers. He said he also paid to have sex with Brank at least four times. "It was partly a coping mechanism from the loss of my long-term relationship," Burns said in response to a prosecutor's question why he had paid Brank to help set him up with the men.

The Smoking Gun website in April identified Burns as the alleged victim in the federal government's case. But Burns, who jurors heard is worth close to $140 million, successfully moved to have his identity kept secret until trial. The businessman has a stake in Internet phone company Magicjack Vocaltec. He was a co-founder of the Telco Communications Group and controls the Donald A. Burns Foundation. Brank, who performs as Jarec Wentworth, was charged in March with extortion and making criminal threats after the FBI arrested him in a sting at a Starbucks parking lot in El Segundo. Federal prosecutors say Brank extorted Burns and threatened to ruin his reputation by posting sexually explicit photos on Twitter.

While Burns has been characterized by some outlets as major GOP donor due to his support of Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Rudy Giuliani, and other top Republicans, he has also supported the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and donated $400,000 to Florida Red & Blue, the group formed to battle 2008's ultimately successful Amendment 2, which placed a ban on same-sex marriage into the state constitution. Burns reportedly went to the FBI when Brank demanded an additional million dollars after having been paid $500,000 and given an extremely expensive Audi R8. There's no mention of Burns being closeted at the time of the alleged extortion. Brank performed under the name Jarec Wentworth.