Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors coach and recently ordained minister, has found himself in the center of an extortion plot after a woman claimed she had an affair with him and revealed she had nude pictures of him.
Jackson admits to the affair and says he told his wife all about it a few years ago, right after it happened; they have since reconciled and started their own ministry. When a man–identified as Marcus Shaw–approached Jackson after a Warriors game and demanded cash to keep the photos out of the public eye, Jackson panicked and handed over $5,000 hush money. He later said it was ”a terrible lapse in judgment and a course of action I would not recommend to anyone.”
Shaw, who is in cahoots with the woman in question–Alexis Adams, an exotic dancer–later contacted Jackson again and demanded $185,000, saying he could get at least that much from a tabloid for the photos. That’s when Jackson broke down and informed team officials about what was happening, who contacted the FBI.
Shaw and Adams were both promptly arrested, although Adams was released on $25,000 bail. Shaw wasn’t so lucky, as he has prior convictions.
Jackson issued a statement about the ordeal, apologizing for the grief he’s caused his team and family.
“I recognize the extremely poor judgment that I used both in having an affair six years ago — including the embarrassing communication I exhibited during that time — and in attempting to deal with the extortion scheme at first by myself,” Jackson said in the statement. “I made some egregious errors. I apologize for any embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends and, of course, the Warriors. At that time in my life, I was not pastoring. Three years ago, my wife and I established a ministry. With deepest regret, I want to apologize to my Church Family. I was wrong. We must live Holy.”