Last week it was revealed that John Travolta and Kelly Preston were being extorted for $20 million by a politician and two other people in the Bahamas. The rumor was that they had photos of Jett Travolta right before or after he died, and they were trying to get money from the family in exchange for them. Now the three identities of the people involved have been revealed, and it includes “local lawmaker and attorney Pleasant Bridgewater, a Bahama senator,” the ambulance driver who took John and Jett to the hospital, and the former Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe, who claimed that he was a friend of the family and acted as their spokesperson.

Of course they have all denied any wrongdoing.

Two of the three people arrested in the Bahamas last week in connection with an alleged extortion scheme targeting John Travolta claimed to have been by the Travoltas’ side in the moments leading up to and right after the death of their son, Jett.

Bahamian authorities have said little this morning about the alleged extortion scheme that targeted John Travolta. But, according to previous media reports, a group of people wanted as much as $20 million in exchange for a cell phone picture taken of Jett on the way to the hospital minutes before his death from a seizure Jan. 2.

Two prominent Bahamian citizens and a paramedic were detained last week in the Bahamas in connection with the alleged plot. One was Tarino Lightbourne, the paramedic who drove the ambulance to the hospital after Jett collapsed.

“It was me, him and Jett,” Lightbourne told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Jan. 5. “I’ll never forget this day. I saw him lean over and hug his son and kiss his son and tell him he loved him and I did everything I could. I saw love in his eyes, I saw love. [Travolta] hugged him, put his arm around him, kissed him on the forehead and the cheek and told him he loved him. He then turned to me and gave me a hug and said, you guys did a wonderful job.”

Lightbourne was detained Friday for attempted extortion and, according to news reports, was still in custody Sunday.

[From ABC News]

Wilchcombe also vehemently denied any involvement in the extortion, and claimed Bridgewater was innocent as well.

Wilchcombe tells Us he was approached early last week by Bridgewater who alerted him that “someone was doing something untowards” and that he passed this information to Travolta’s lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott. “She knew I was close to the Travolta’s. She wanted to bring something to my attention.” He says this was the topic of his questioning by investigators.

Asked if he sought or expected any compensation from the Travoltas Wilchcombe was adamant: “Never once, asking for anything! Never once, expecting anything! This is ridiculous and absurd. The Travolta’s are suffering, it’s just outright foolish. Never did I ask for anything, no one can say that. We had a friend in my country who lost a son. It was one single individual [who tried to take advantage of the family], the Bahamian people have been very kind to the Travoltas.”

[From US Weekly]

It’s impossible to say what went down, but it sounds like the ambulance driver had the opportunity to take the cell phone picture – and he’s the only one still in custody. Still, that doesn’t mean that two more powerful people – Wilchcombe and Bridgewater – weren’t trying to take advantage of him in some way.

This whole situation is so sad for the Travoltas, who shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of stuff right now. Their lawyers have said they won’t be releasing a statement on the matter, and frankly I think that’s good. This crap is probably the last thing on their minds, and should be dealt with by the authorities.