Tom Cruise photo plot

Jul 27, 2007, 11:30 GMT

06/17/2007 - Tom Cruise - © Solarpix / PR Photos

Tom Cruise is allegedly the victim of a plot to extort a $1 million from him.

David Hans Schmidt - known as the 'Sultan of Sleaze' for his key role in distributing celebrity sex tapes - was arrested this week for allegedly trying to sell Cruise a large collection of private photos from his wedding to Katie Holmes.

The 'Top Gun's star's lawyer, Bert Fields, said the pictures had been stolen and Schmidt approached Cruise's representatives earlier this year about the images.

Fields said the actor's representatives had immediately called the FBI and the United States Attorney's Office and from that point the matter was handled by federal investigators.

Schmidt, 47, was charged on Wednesday (25.07.07) with the charge of felony and bail was set at $100,000.

US attorney's spokesman, Thom Mrozek, said Schmidt had been arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint that remains sealed, "so I cannot comment about the case."

In the last decade Schmidt has been involved in the attempted sale of a number of X-rated images featuring stars including Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx.

He was also responsible for brokering a deal to release the infamous sex tape of disgraced US ice-skater Tonya Harding.

The Arizona businessman also contacted Paris Hilton and Colin Farrell in advance of the sale of explicit images featuring them, offering them the chance to buy their photos before they were made public.

(C) BANG Media International