Thursday, January 13, 2000

SYDNEY - Russell Crowe was the focus of a $132,000 blackmail scheme by two men who possessed a security camera video showing the actor in a brawl at an Australian nightclub, Reuters is reporting.

The two men were in court on Wednesday charged with conspiring to extort the money from Crowe.

One of the men was also charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice by withholding the video from police looking into the brawl, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.

The blackmail plot stemmed from a brawl at a nightclub on November 18.

The men were unable to reach Crowe but police uncovered the extortion attempt while taping a conversation on another matter.

The trial has been set for February 14.