FBI raids home of Philadelphia news anchor
Posted by Media Outrage on June 4, 2008
The FBI has raided the home of Philadelphia news anchor Larry Mendte (on the left) and seized his computer and other equipment in an investigation related to former Philly news anchor Alycia Lane (on the right) who was fired by the station due to some other crazy ass drama.
Via AP:
PHILADELPHIA (June 3) – An evening news anchor is under federal investigation and off the air after his fired co-anchor complained that someone may have hacked into her e-mails and leaked them to gossip columnists.
The investigation became public after the FBI last Thursday raided the home of anchor Larry Mendte of KYW-TV, seizing a computer and related equipment.
The raid was the second major embarrassment in months for the CBS affiliate. In January, the station fired Mendte’s co-anchor, Alycia Lane, following a series of off-camera incidents, including her arrest during a scuffle with New York City police.
Lane says she began to suspect this year that her private e-mails were being accessed and forwarded to news outlets that have covered her career and social life.
The FBI took the case, and the investigation eventually led to Mendte, 51. The station had hired Mendte, the one-time co-host of “Access Hollywood,” and the striking Lane, dubbed “the Latina bombshell,” in July 2003 to boost its sagging ratings.
The station’s Web site describes Mendte as a “target” of the FBI investigation, although Schwartz said Mendte had not received a letter stating he is a target. Federal prosecutors declined comment.
The e-mail interceptions allegedly took place while Lane was defending herself on the criminal charges in the New York police case and preparing to sue the station for wrongful termination, Rosen said.
“There were incidents in which she was embarrassed by information that was made public that only a very, very discrete number of people would know about,” Rosen said.
Lane had more than three years remaining on her contract when she was fired, Rosen said.
Lane was criticized previously over news reports that she e-mailed bikini shots of herself to NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen.
To read the entire article click here.
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