Bald Truth Exclusive: Anna Nicole FBI Probe! Howard K. Stern Meets Federal Agents In Texas; Says Ex-Cosmetic Surgeon “Under Investigation;” Anna Nicole Smith-O.J. Simpson Connection!
By Art Harris, (c) www.artharris.com, all rights reserved
In a world wide web exclusive, The Bald Truth has learned that Howard K. Stern has met with FBI agents investigating Anna Nicole Smith’s former plastic surgeon for allegedly trying to sell videotapes of breast surgery he performed on the late Playboy centerfold in 1994, according to documents filed in federal court and first obtained by www.artharris.com.
Stern gave the investigation a boost, law enforcement sources tell me, after the estate executor quietly flew to Houston this summer for a secret meeting with federal agents to tell them what he knew about the Texas surgeon, Dr. Gerald Johnson, according to an affidavit obtained exclusively by www.artharris.com.
“I was there for one (1) night at the request of certain FBI agents to meet with them in connection with their investigation of a former doctor of Ms. Smith’s who was trying to sell a video of Ms. Smith taken during a plastic surgery procedure,” says Stern in the sworn statement he gave Nov. 13 and filed in federal court in Texas stern-fbi-meeting-affadavit-11-19-07.pdf.
In his meeting with the agents, sources tell me Stern insisted all such videotapes amounted to stolen property and belonged to the estate.
The FBI would neither confirm nor deny the probe, and no charges have been filed against Dr. Johnson, the surgeon.
“It’s our policy not to comment on on-going investigations, or even to verify the existence of an investigation, even if there’s some compelling reason to do so,” said Patricia Villafranca, special agent in the FBI’s Houston media office, in an interview with www.artharris.com.
But sources close to the investigation tell Harris the FBI is indeed exploring whether federal privacy laws may have been violated in circulating –and attempting to sell –Anna Nicole’s private medical records.
THE OJ SIMPSON CONNECTION!!
Sources also say agents are exploring the surgeon’s ties to the same Hollywood memorabilia dealer who set up a so called “sting” operation to help OJ Simpson recover stolen goods.
In an exclusive interview, Thomas Riccio, the collectibles dealer, confirms agents wanted to know his role in brokering Smith’s breast surgery videos.
To market them, court documents show, Riccio had the surgeon’s two hours of videotapes edited into a five minute pitch reel showing Anna Nicole naked and under the knife in the operating room, with the sound track from the movie, “Jaws,” and her voice over from a Trim Spa ad, “Do You Like My Body?”
Gus Pappas, Dr. Johnson’s attorney, has denied any wrongdoing and claims the doctor believes the tapes belong to him, asserting all patients sign wavers granting the surgeon permission to make use of his surgery tapes. “Anna would never sign such a waiver,” Howard Stern tells me in an exclusive interview. “That’s ridiculous.”
Stern says he was acting aggresively in his role as estate executor, trying to protect anyone infringing on Smith’s property and privacy, for the sake of her daughter, Dannielynn.
After Stern filed a request for a restraining order, a California judge barred the surgeon or Riccio, from selling the tapes, as we’ve previously reported.
Riccio has since surrendered his copies to Smith’s estate lawyers who tell me Riccio is cooperating with Stern and Larry Birkhead, who says he (Birkhead) was “disgusted” after watching the tapes.
The law firm helped arrange a secret meeting between Riccio and FBI agents at the Los Angeles offices of Smith’s estate lawyers. Sources tell Harris one agent was from the Los Angeles FBI office, the other from Houston.
It was during his LA meetings with FBI agents that Riccio has also said he tried to interest agents in helping Simpson recover stolen goods, and that a sting was planned. But the FBI has issued a statement saying it had no advance knowledge that a crime would be committed when Simpson burst into Riccio’s room at a Las Vegas hotel, with a gun-toting entourage.
In late August, one of Stern’s probate lawyers, Vivian Thoreen, led Riccio and the agents into the law firms’ conference room, where they met privately.
“I sat outside while they talked, but I don’t know what they discussed,” Thoreen tells Harris in an exclusive interview, adding that Stern’s probate team turned over all tapes and records. She added with a wink: “We may be the best agents the FBI ever had.”
Johnson voluntarily surrendered his Texas Medical License in 2006, citing health issues. Records obtained by www.artharris.com show a history of run-ins with regulators, and a multi-million dollar malpractice judgement that has haunted him for years, after the death of a patient.
Stern’s affidavit was filed in Houston federal court as part of a flurry of papers requesting he be dropped as a defendant in from Virgie Arthur’s defamation action, citing no jurisdiction as a defense, and no permanent ties to Texas.
In his affidavit, Stern says the brief FBI trip this summer, and a stint to accompany Anna Nicole Smith during the Howard Marshal litigation (he never did apply for “a pro hac” status to actually work on the case) are his only forays into the Lonestar state.
See other related documents only at www.artharris.com:
stern-virgie-memorandum-law-11-19-07.pdf
November 21st, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Howard has the tenacity and strength required to protect his loving Anna Nicole from the brute world enslaved by unnending greed.
November 21st, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I am thrilled that HKS got the tapes back. Hopefully he will destroy them so that Dannielynn never has to see them, or do whatever he and LB see fit. FBI agents can do wonders when the truth is there. Do I understand that they were stolen or the doc had them from the surgery, or both? If stolen, were they part of the theft at the Horizons? Just curious.
November 21st, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Wow this whole story is wild!
I know this Thanksgiving is going to be tough on you Howard, but I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving with you family!
You too Mr. Harris!! I hope you and everyone in TeamSmith have a very good Thanksgiving!
November 21st, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Wow! It gets crazier and crazier.
What’s next for Howard? Lord, how much does this guy have to endure?
IF someone signed any sort of waiver to tape their surgery….I seriously doubt that would mean the video would be fair game to editing and adding voice overs, etc. That’s just wrong.
What a mess. So, the FBI knew about Simpson’s stolen stuff and possible recovery of such items?? I’ve always known something was fishy about that whole “sting operation”.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Come on now - O’quinn is smarter than this! He knew dog gone well that there was no jurisdiction in Texas for this stuff! This was nothing more than a harrassment! Geeze, if he does this to the “little guy” who doesn’t know better know wonder he wins the cases he does. O’Quinn gives new meaning to “Shyster Lawyer”! Did he file this when he was drunk?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Way to go Lin Wood ,HKS I knew her suit would be dismissed.To Bad she couldn’t be made to pay attorneys fees fore replying to this suit.Wonder what they will try next?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:28 pm
The second document to dismiss was not signed and says it was done electronically? Anyone?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Had word of HKS flying into Houston leaked, he would
met at the airport by “The Texas Cheerleaders” doing
their “bla-bla, bla-bla” routine!!
November 21st, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Art,
Am I reading this correctly? Is the final pdf document you have included in your article entitled “stern-proposed-virgie-order…” a judicial ruling which dismisses Virgie’s request? Or is there more to come? That’s huge news!
November 21st, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Sorry everyone MY bad I thought the suit was dismissed when if fact it was the dismissal form sent to the court and was unsigned.Still I do hope it is dismissed
November 21st, 2007 at 7:30 pm
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20071121/4743bb50_3ca6_1552620071121988788557
Everything just takes way too, long these days it seems…
Too, much ‘Ted Tape?’
Too, much paperwork?
Too, many Lawyers?
Too, many Politicians?
Too, many Chiefs and not enough Indians, I guess.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I am very very touched by this news item. Bravo, Howard K Stern, keep on fighting for Anna Nicole’s memory and protect the rights of her little daughter, DL. Keep on fighting, stay strong and keep the faith.
Indeed Howard YOU are practically the only person still in ANS’ corner. Truly you loved her, truly you were her best friend. May God bless you and your loved ones!
November 21st, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I hope someday, Dannielynn will know of all the hard work Howard has done for her and her mother and brother, over the years.
Howard, I believe you are one of a kind and we could all stand to have someone like you in our lives. You are a fine example of what a man should be like.
November 21st, 2007 at 9:34 pm
I’m feelin’ like an old-timer, and found this to ponder from someone ‘who’s been there.’
“From an ol’ retired USAF fart I say this: We’ll never have a perfect world as long as humans are a part of it. At 60, I’ve seen the best & worse of idealism. We crave peace but it shall not be while some seek to squelch the freedom’s flames.
Remember, ANY freedom has its price. It has, is & will be paid with the blood our youth. That’s reality. But, I much prefer to pay a price (which I have) for freedom than pay nothing for tyranny; for without freedom we are nothing.
Bitch on… “
November 21st, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Thanks for the article Art. If only I had read the dismissal first, my blood pressure wouldn’t have jumped up a few points.
I’ll just erase my rant and say “Thank the powers that be” that Howard is finally having a tad of good luck.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Happy Thanksgiving, Art…did I need that comma?
November 22nd, 2007 at 12:57 am
To Art, Howard and all the posters here: I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving. I know it won’t be the same for some of you, but we all still have many things to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving! God bless!
November 22nd, 2007 at 3:06 am
Thank’s God Howard K Stern is the Man I was tinking he was! God bless him all his family including Dannielynn,Larry an his family!!!! Have a Good Thanksgiving to all !!!!
November 22nd, 2007 at 3:14 am
To you Art Harris,
You are a reel investigative journalist !!
Without your help and the balance facts you always report, We would had more difficult time to support HKS and the truth!!!!
Keep on going we fallow you!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to All real and honest Americans!!!!
November 22nd, 2007 at 11:52 am
I’d like to wish everyone here a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
I pray our troops all over the world will also stay safe and come back to America as soon as possible.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO HOWARD AND HIS FAMILY, TO ANNA’S PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL THAT SHE HAD ALWAYS DREAMED SHE HAVE ONE DAY, AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ROSE & HER PEOPLE @ rosespeaks.com who also work hard for truth to prevail!
Art, I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.
Mr. John Nazarain thank you for helping women in need, and for being Howard’s friend. God bless you and Mr. Wood, I pray that you are able to help him clear his name.
November 22nd, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Happy Thanksgiving Day to Howard and family. to you to Art.
((( Howard))) stay strong.
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Thank God for Howard K. Stern. He’s the best as well as Art Harris. God Bless all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
November 22nd, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Dear Joni,
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! And thank you for your thoughtful post.
Happy Thanksgiving to y’all, everyone!
I pray that you find in your life many good things to be thankful for on this day.
Kristina
November 23rd, 2007 at 1:33 am
Hi Art and thanksgiving geetings to all
When are you going to use your journalist talents on the SC
boys, or Moe’s role? Everyone(I think) else in this tragedy has been exposed why not them?
November 24th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I wonder where Daniel was…when ‘Anna,’ and Howard and Mark, and a 9-year-old little girl were ‘playing around.’
I wonder where that 9-year-old little girl’s parents were, too?
I wonder where Dr Kris was, too!
Guess Daniel was always in the ‘background,’ somewhere trying to figure ‘it’ all out.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I have been MIA for a few days and my God, everything starts happening. I love it all. There is more good things to come Howard’s way. The vultures will soon be dealt with, permanently. They need start packing right now and get the BS outta here.
November 26th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Dear Kristina O’D, Thank you!
November 27th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
It is a disgusting event (even by the standards of this circus) when someone tries to deal a video like this after the death of the subject. It is very chivalrous of Howard to deal with this situation accordingly and I am glad to see him doing it. There may be times when I think he’s a little shady but this is one occasion when I think his actions are right.
November 27th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
belicoso Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
There may be times when I think he’s a little shady but this is one occasion when I think his actions are right
—————————————
belicoso,
When do you think he’s shady and what makes you think that? What do you mean by “shady?”
November 27th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
belicoso I agree he is doing the right thing ,if only Vergie would also
November 28th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Howard: Are you a little shady? LOL
November 28th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Sorry Howard, I just couldn’t resist that, lol.
November 28th, 2007 at 1:38 am
Yes i would like to see that SC bunch thrown under the prison .ive heard that they are drug dealers , and flew millions of dollars worth to Bahamas, GBT& FS amassed their wealth in that manner.I recall FS saying that HKSbetter have deep pockets to pay for all the lawsuits that was coming his way .look out SC HKS is not as dumb as ya’all thought he was hmmmmmmmm!.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Seems ’shady’ has been defined already…oh, no wait…that was ‘covered,’ LOL.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Belicoso, Howard is shady when he passes under a shady tree or another obstruction.