If you were laboring under the delusion that this case couldn't possibly get stranger, you were wrong.
Today, the same day Joran van der Sloot was detained in Chile as principal suspect in the murder of Stephany Flores, a criminal complaint against him was filed by the United States Attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, Natalee Holloway's home state.
I have read the complaint, and it states that Joran van der Sloot, defendant, "did obstruct, delay, and affect commerce by extortion or attempts to do so, in that, the defendant did knowingly and wilfully (sic) cause another person to wire transfer a partial payment of money ($15,000) from a financial institution in Birmingham, Alabama, to a financial institution in the Netherlands, after representing to the other person that he would provide the location of Natalee Holloway's remains in Aruba and information regarding the circumstances of her death, upon receipt of $250,000 from the other person, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a)."
The second count of the complaint says that van der Sloot, "having devised or intending to devise any scheme and artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, did knowingly and with intent to defraud...cause to be transmitted by means of wire transfer...a wire transfer in the amount of $15,000, from Birmingham, Alabama, to the Netherlands for the purpose of executing and attempting to execute such scheme and artifice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343."
The complainant is William K. Bryan, a Special Agent with the FBI.
The events described above took place on or about May 10, 2010.
UPDATE: Greta van Susteren of Fox News has, this evening, stated that: "Beth Holloway was extorted. Joran van der Sloot took money from her and used it to finance his trip to South America where it is now believed he murdered. Beth Holloway wanted to know what happened to her daughter. Joran van der Sloot said he would tell her if she paid him. She brought in the FBI. The events happened in Aruba."
Today, the same day Joran van der Sloot was detained in Chile as principal suspect in the murder of Stephany Flores, a criminal complaint against him was filed by the United States Attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, Natalee Holloway's home state.
I have read the complaint, and it states that Joran van der Sloot, defendant, "did obstruct, delay, and affect commerce by extortion or attempts to do so, in that, the defendant did knowingly and wilfully (sic) cause another person to wire transfer a partial payment of money ($15,000) from a financial institution in Birmingham, Alabama, to a financial institution in the Netherlands, after representing to the other person that he would provide the location of Natalee Holloway's remains in Aruba and information regarding the circumstances of her death, upon receipt of $250,000 from the other person, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a)."
The second count of the complaint says that van der Sloot, "having devised or intending to devise any scheme and artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, did knowingly and with intent to defraud...cause to be transmitted by means of wire transfer...a wire transfer in the amount of $15,000, from Birmingham, Alabama, to the Netherlands for the purpose of executing and attempting to execute such scheme and artifice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343."
The complainant is William K. Bryan, a Special Agent with the FBI.
The events described above took place on or about May 10, 2010.
UPDATE: Greta van Susteren of Fox News has, this evening, stated that: "Beth Holloway was extorted. Joran van der Sloot took money from her and used it to finance his trip to South America where it is now believed he murdered. Beth Holloway wanted to know what happened to her daughter. Joran van der Sloot said he would tell her if she paid him. She brought in the FBI. The events happened in Aruba."