Jared Paul Stern Disgraced Gossip Writer Avoids Prosecution

Disgraced New York Post gossip writer Jared Paul Stern will not be charged for allegedly shaking down a California billionaire, Stern’s lawyer said last night. Stern, a Page Six contributor for more than a decade, allegedly tried to extort $220,000 from Ron Burkle, 53, in exchange for "protection" from false items in the column. Federal authorities had been considering prosecuting Stern on extortion and other charges since the Page Six scandal broke last year.

"I’ve been notified by the U.S. attorney that they’re not going forward against Jared Stern," Stern’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said yesterday.

Stern solicited $220,000 from Burkle, the managing partner of Yucaipa Cos., last March. In exchange for the cash, Stern said he would manage coverage of Burkle by Page Six. The conversations took place during two lengthy meetings in a Manhattan loft, and were videotaped by Burkle as part of a sting operation being monitored by law enforcement officials.

A source close to the criminal investigation said Stern was not charged because even though he solicited Burkle for money, Stern never threatened Burkle that things would get worse if he didn’t pay up.

"If you don’t really threaten, it’s not extortion in the strictest sense," the source said.

Details of the meetings, transcripts of the conversations and e-mails that Stern sent Burkle were first disclosed by The News. The News also revealed that other Page Six employees had received free trips, parties and vacations from companies and personalities featured in the column. Stern was fired by the Post and the paper changed its policies on gifts and "freebies" for reporters.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office declined comment.

It is absolutely amazing that Stern avoided prosecution. I wonder if Stern had something juicy on the feds, or perhaps the feds just dislike Burkle enough to let Stern go. I have a suspicion there is more to this story.