Attempted Extortion of Jann Carl Brings 5 Years

A confidence man was sentenced to five years in prison Monday for trying to extort $31,000 from KTLA anchorwoman Jann Carl in return for suppressing sexually explicit videotapes of her that never existed.

Former talent agent Gilbert Cabot, 44, convicted in July of one count each of conspiracy and attempted extortion, also was fined $5,000 by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Connor.

Prosecutors said that Cabot told Carl there were several people who had invested money in photographs taken from what he claimed was a sexually explicit videotape, and that the photos were to be published in a pornographic magazine.

Cabot told Carl he needed $31,000 to pay the people off to suppress the materials, the prosecutor said. Carl contacted authorities, who began recording telephone conversations between her and Cabot.