Judge Accused of Threatening Ex-Girlfriend
The chief judge of the state’s highest court was arrested Saturday for allegedly threatening a former girlfriend and her daughter in an extortion scheme, authorities said.
Judge Sol Wachtler was arrested by FBI agents and placed under guard in a hospital psychiatric ward pending a hearing Tuesday, U.S. Atty. Michael Chertoff told reporters.
Wachtler, 62, was accused in a criminal complaint of making threatening calls to a New York woman and sending sexually explicit letters to her and her 14-year-old daughter.
Wachtler, head of the New York State Court of Appeals, acted out of anger after his relationship with the woman ended about a year ago, authorities said. Wachtler is married and the father of four.
According to the complaint, Wachtler demanded $20,000 in exchange for “embarrassing” tapes and photographs, purportedly of the woman and her new boyfriend. The woman’s daughter also was threatened with kidnaping, the complaint said.
Wachtler, a liberal Republican, has frequently been touted as a potential candidate for governor. He was appointed chief judge in 1985 by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, a Democrat.
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