New York – Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield revealed yesterday he was the victim of a shakedown artist who threatened to release X-rated video of his gospel-singer wife and a professional musician.
Court documents do not identify the musician, but a Chicago TV station and Billboard magazine identified him as R&B star R. Kelly.
Sheffield, 35, said the $20,000 extortion attempt was no bombshell because he knew that his 28-year-old wife, DeLeon, “had a long-term relationship with a well-known professional singer over 10 years ago,” before the couple married.
“We will not be blackmailed,” said the star right fielder, who was the runnerup in yesterday’s American League Most Valuable Player voting. “I have not seen the alleged videotape, nor do I care to,” he added in the written statement. “I love my wife and I vow to stand by her through any trial or tribulation.”
Sheffield’s spokeswoman Marvet Brito said the ballplayer was “appalled” by the alleged extortion attempt. “Gary is doing what any loving husband would do, which is stand by his wife,” Brito said.
The Sheffields, who have been married for four years, were targeted by Derrick Mosley, 38, a self-styled community activist from Chicago with a checkered past, authorities said.
Mosley called Sheffield’s business manager, Rufus Williams, on Nov. 3 and claimed someone anonymously sent him graphic videotapes of DeLeon engaged in “very repulsive” sex acts with the musician, the FBI said.
He told Williams he was “very upset and concerned about the tapes” and about DeLeon’s “moral standing,” according to the court papers.
Williams immediately contacted the FBI and wore a wire for a rendezvous with Mosley at a Chicago club later that day, officials said.
In that meeting and in two later telephone calls, Mosley reportedly said the tapes would be worth millions to the tabloids and suggested Sheffield hire him as a spiritual counselor for his wife.
When the conversation turned to dollars and cents, Mosley asked for $20,000 to destroy the tapes, the FBI said.
Kelly, who is currently facing charges of child pornography for videotaping sex with a minor, did not deny a past romance with Sheffield’s wife.
“Since we haven’t seen the tape, we can neither confirm nor deny that it is in fact Mr. Kelly,” said his spokesman, Allan Mayer. “We can, however, confirm that no one is suggesting the tape depicts anything but the activities of consenting adults.”
Mosley, who is on probation for bank fraud, once claimed to be a spokesman for Kelly – then turned on him after the “I Believe I Can Fly” heartthrob was accused of videotaping his trysts with teenage girls.
In the past few years, Mosley has made a name for himself in the Windy City by founding a group called Bringing About Reform and speaking out on local controversies and tragedies.
Mosley was arrested Monday on a charge of operating a scheme to defraud and is being held until a bail hearing tomorrow. His lawyer had no comment on the accusations.
Like Mosley and Kelly, DeLeon Richards-Sheffield is also from Chicago, where she became a gospel-music sensation at the age of 5.
The youngest person ever nominated for a Grammy, she has sung at her husband’s playoff games, and serenaded Sheffield during their February 2000 wedding in Florida.