Los Angeles man accused of extorting, threatening ‘Real Housewives’ star

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles man is accused of extorting former “Actual Housewives of Orange County” star Elizabeth Vargas and pointing a gun at her in an incident Tuesday, officers mentioned.

Ryan Matthew Geraghty, 33, is charged with six felony counts, together with extortion by drive and assault with a firearm, the Orange County District Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned Thursday.

On Tuesday, Geraghty reportedly known as the sufferer and accused her of stealing his automotive, then went to her residence, pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her for refusing to provide him more cash, the DA’s workplace mentioned.

Newport Seashore responded after they tried to contact the lady and heard a battle over the cellphone.

As soon as inside, officers “encountered an armed male suspect who was actively threatening the lifetime of the sufferer,” a Newport Seashore police spokesperson mentioned this week.

Geraghty was arrested at Vargas’ Newport Seashore residence Tuesday night time, officers mentioned.

Prosecutors and court docket paperwork didn’t identify the sufferer however described her as a actuality tv star.

Vargas’ supervisor, David Weintraub, mentioned in a press release Wednesday that Vargas was the sufferer and that she was “extraordinarily traumatized” by Tuesday’s ordeal, ABC 7 of Los Angeles and different retailers reported.

Weintraub didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from NBC Information on Thursday. A regulation enforcement supply acquainted with the matter confirmed to NBC Information that the sufferer was Vargas.

Prosecutors say Geraghty had been extorting tens of 1000’s of {dollars} from the sufferer, starting on Christmas Eve.

The 2 had been in a romantic relationship and Geraghty threatened to promote nude images of the sufferer to the media, the district legal professional’s workplace mentioned.

After the lady mentioned she wouldn’t give him more cash, Geraghty punched her within the face, in accordance with the DA’s workplace.

The sufferer was additionally pressured to purchase Geraghty a BMW, and on Jan. 31 he allegedly fired a gun right into a ceiling throughout an argument, the DA’s workplace mentioned.

Geraghty was being held on the Theo Lacy Facility with out bond Thursday afternoon, in accordance with on-line jail data.

A public defender listed as representing him didn’t instantly return a request for remark Thursday night.

Geraghty has been convicted twice in residential housebreaking instances in Los Angeles, in accordance with a felony criticism. That would make him eligible for a life sentence below the state’s three strikes regulation if convicted, the district legal professional’s workplace mentioned.

Vargas appeared on the fifteenth season of the Bravo present “Actual Housewives of Orange County.” NBCUniversal is the mum or dad firm of each Bravo and NBC Information.