Yoko Ono blackmailed by Chauffeur

Judge Tanya Kennedy at the Manhattan Criminal Court set bail at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash for a chauffeur for Yoko Ono after a prosecutor said he tried to extort $2 million from widow of former Beatles John Lennon.

Ono’s chauffeur for six years Koral Karsan, 50, arrested on Wednesday had allegedly threatened to circulate embarrassing photos of Yoko Ono in nightclothes and spoke of killing her and her son, Sean Lennon.

Ono, 73, an avant-garde artist reportedly received a rambling note from Karsan on December 8, the 26th death anniversary of John Lennon stating that he had secretly photographed her and made audiotapes of her in private moments.

Karsan warned he would make the material public if she didn't pay him an extortion amounting $2 million.

However, Karsan disputed the allegations and denied trying to extort Ono and said she was trying "to stop me from pursuing a sexual harassment case.''

In a legal complaint filed at Karsan's arraignment on grand-larceny charges, Karsan's lawyer, Patrick Brosnahan Jr. said his client had issues related to his employment by Ono. He also revealed that Ono had a history of problems with her employees.

"I think, in fact, there is a genuine basis for this dispute and he would fight the charges”, Brosnahan ended.

Meanwhile, as judge Kennedy ordered Karsan to a high bail for his “extraordinary flight risk”, the prosecutors have 72 hours to check the source of the money and raise any objections.

Ono, a Japanese musician and artist is a philosophy and music student and has worked as a "conceptual artist" in the early 1960s.

Married in 1969 after divorcing their respective spouses, the couple performed and recorded together.

Her solo releases were classified as experimental compositions and avant-garde rock and roll. Her records include Approximately Infinite Universe (1973), Rising (1995) and Double Fantasy (1980).

Mark David Chapman a deranged fan, open fired at John Lennon on December 8, 1980 when he and Ono were returning home to their Manhattan apartment building, the Dakota.