Bahamas News

A document signed by famed actor John Travolta instructing a paramedic/ambulance driver to take his son Jett directly to a Grand Bahama airport is the central object of an alleged extortion plot. When it was discovered that the aircraft could not accommodate Jett as a patient, he was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed.

According to Police sources, shortly after 16-year-old Jett Travolta died, the paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, met with Obie Wilchcombe, Member of Parliament for West End and Bimini and former Senator Pleasant Bridgewater.

Police say Lightbourne showed them the document, which was not filed with the authorities and suggested that it was valuable. Thereupon, Mr. Wilchcombe telephoned Travolta lawyers and informed them of the document, which he said they should be concerned about.

Travolta’s lawyer Michael McDermott was told that it was incriminating. To which Mr. McDermott responded, “In my part of the world that is extortion.”

Police say Mr. Wilchcombe then introduced Ms. Bridgewater to Mr. McDermott.

Subsequently, Travolta’s Bahamas attorney, Allyson Gibson was instructed to meet with Ms. Bridgewater, who was representing Lightbourne.

She, according to Police, told Mrs. Gibson that her client wanted $25 million for the document or that it would be turned over to the international media.

Mrs. Gibson, who is Opposition Leader in the Senate, reportedly asked her ex-Senate colleague whether she knew it was a case of extortion. Ms. Bridgewater, allegedly, felt that it was better for her to handle the matter to save the good name of the country, rather than to allow a rogue lawyer to do so.

Sometime later Ms. Bridgewater and Mr. Lightbourne were invited to meet the Travolta lawyers in Nassau where negotiations continued on the matter.

Police say the persons accused of the conspiracy to extort the funds then set a deadline of last week Tuesday for the receipt of the money. When it was not forthcoming, there were persistent calls to the lawyers from Ms. Bridgewater.

Mr. McDermott then instructed Mrs. Gibson to alert the American Ambassador and the Prime Minister.

According to a source close to Mrs. Gibson, she only telephoned Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham because Mr. Travolta wanted the matter to be resolved quickly.

The source told the Journal, “Opposition Leader Perry Christie was not informed about the matter because Mrs. Gibson did not want Mr. Christie to be dragged into the affair. She wanted to protect Mr. Christie from controversy.”

Now, the source said Mr. Travolta feels betrayed by Obie Wilchcombe.

Travolta has given Police a statement and is prepared to travel to The Bahamas for the trial of the accused persons as he wishes to clear the air on the cause of the death of his son. The Travolta American lawyers alleged that Lightbourne claimed that the document could be construed as negligence by Mr. Travolta in the death of his son.

It is said that Mr. Travolta wanted his son to be airlifted to the United States for treatment.

In a statement to the press last weekend, Ms. Bridgewater indicated that at all material times she acted in the interest of her client.

Lightbourne, 47, was arraigned in the Magistrate Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion.

Ms. Bridgewater is expected to be charged today.

Source: Bahama Journal