Report: Stephanie Birkitt (Pictures) Involved With Letterman and Alleged Extortionist at Same Time
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) Was Stephanie Birkitt, 34, romantically involved with David Letterman and his alleged extortionist, Robert "Joe" Halderman at the same time?
If you believe a report in today's New York Post, the long-time Letterman staffer, whose secret diary police say is at the center of an alleged extortion plot against the late night king, was indeed two-timing the man now accused of threatening to reveal Letterman's office sex trysts unless he coughed up $2 million.
Birkitt was once an assistant to Letterman and frequently appeared on camera with the host in comedy bits. She also worked nearly a decade ago as an intern on "48 Hours," the CBS News broadcast where Halderman was a long-time producer.
Halderman and Birkitt lived together in Halderman's Norwalk, Conn. home until August, when they reportedly split.
According to law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, Halderman copied pages from Birkitt's private diary before they broke up, using them together with e-mails and other information in a package left in Letterman's limousine.
Citing anonymous sources, New York Post reports that Birkitt wrote in the diary that she continued an affair with Letterman even after moving into Halderman's home.
Letterman and Birkitt enjoyed romantic hikes last fall at the star's Montana ranch while Halderman stayed home in Connecticut, according to the paper.
Again citing anonymous sources, the paper says Letterman drove Birkitt to the home she shared with Halderman at least once a week for the last five years, and that Letterman offered her a job as his personal lawyer when she graduated from Benjamin Cardozo Law School in order to keep her on staff.
According to the paper, Birkitt reportedly insisted to Halderman that it was just "a platonic relationship."
"I'm his best friend," she told Halderman, reports the Post.
Letterman married his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, in March.
Halderman pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court last week to a count of attempted first-degree grand larceny and was released on $200,000 bail bond.
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