Federal prosecutors allege that a billionaire, who owns the Milwaukee Bucks, was blackmailed by a divorced woman of Chinese descent after having an affair with her. She reportedly demanded half of his wealth and concealed a hazardous substance in a box of sanitary napkins.
Wesley Edens, 64, known as the co-founder of the Fortress Investment Group and the owner of Aston Villa soccer team, supposedly engaged in a sexual relationship with Chanley “Sophia” Luo, 46, after she reached out to him on LinkedIn in 2022, according to legal sources and reports.
After a heated night at Luo’s Manhattan apartment, Edens allegedly sent her desperate love letters but became distraught when she didn’t respond, as stated by prosecutors.
“I’ve never said I love you, and tonight I want to tell you, I’ve been suppressing my feelings for so long. I also love you from the bottom of my heart, so for you!” Luo expressed to Edens in one of her messages.
Following these exchanges, Luo embarked on a months-long extortion scheme, demanding $1.2 billion, which equated to half of Edens’ estimated $2.5 billion net worth, as outlined in the criminal indictment.
Last year, she was indicted on charges related to extortion after allegedly threatening to release explicit videos and photographs of their encounters.
In May, during an FBI search of her apartment, agents discovered a cell phone hidden in a laundry basket and another concealed in a box of sanitary napkins, according to the prosecution.
One of the phones purportedly contained several pornographic videos and images featuring Edens’ face edited onto another individual’s body.
Luo was arrested at JFK International Airport on June 14 while attempting to board a flight to China.
Although federal prosecutors haven’t publicly named Edens, the reports have connected him to the case, and a representative confirmed that he was a target of Luo’s extortion attempt.
Prosecutors mentioned that Luo also reached out to Edens’ family and ex-wife, threatening to approach his investors.
A few months later, she wrote a letter claiming Edens had been intimate with her while she was not in a sound state of mind.
Luo alleged that there were cameras in the house, stating, “everything you did was on camera,” and threatened to approach the media unless Edens issued an apology.
“I am confident that your family and business partners will learn about you and your misdeeds from these interviews, providing revelations that will forever stain your record,” she warned him.
Despite denying Luo’s allegations, Edens agreed to take a test, aiming to prevent any ongoing harassment toward his family and to avoid public embarrassment.
Initially, Edens settled on paying Luo $6.5 million, including a $1 million upfront payment, following a Zoom mediation session led by a former judge.
After this settlement, Luo was diagnosed with HPV, a sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cancer, according to her legal team.
She has since blamed Edens for her diagnosis and has sought up to $1.215 billion to renegotiate their agreement.
Luo faces four charges, including extortion and destruction of evidence, and has pleaded not guilty.
Currently, she remains free on a $500,000 bail and is under home detention, with her trial scheduled for later this year.
