"In September of 2009, I attempted to extort $2 million from David Letterman by threatening to disclose personal and private information about him, whether true or false," Halderman told the judge. The producer had lived with Stephanie Birkitt, a Letterman staffer, and after learning of her affair with the married father of a young son, Halderman demanded the money in exchange for not going public with the potentially damaging information. Letterman went directly to police, and Halderman was later arrested while trying to cash a phony check given to him by one of the comedian's attorneys. Letterman admitted to the infidelity on air and discussed the extortion attempt on a show in October.