Divorce lawyer Dennis Wasser, who has represented some of Hollywood's biggest names, including Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg, has been notified by federal authorities that he is a "person of interest" in their ongoing probe of indicted private investigator Anthony Pellicano, Wasser's attorneys said Tuesday.
In the parlance of federal investigations, a "person of interest" or "subject" falls within a broad category of individuals who are associated with the events in question and who may or may not face prosecution. In contrast, a "target" is a person at whom the investigation is aimed and who is likely to be charged.
Lawyers for the noted Century City attorney said they do not believe he has committed any crimes or will face charges.
"Based on what I understand the facts to be, I don't see where Dennis did anything wrong, and he should not have any kind of problem," said veteran criminal defense attorney Vincent J. Marella, one of Wasser's lawyers.
To date, authorities have not publicly named Wasser as a subject in the FBI's more than 3-year-old wiretapping and racketeering investigation of Pellicano and others. The FBI and U.S. attorney's office on Tuesday declined to comment about Wasser or their probe.
Federal authorities have not made any statement indicating that Wasser's representation of Cruise, Spielberg or other celebrities is under investigation.
There has, however, been widespread speculation about Wasser's role in the Pellicano case since charges were brought two weeks ago against Terry N. Christensen, a prominent entertainment lawyer. Christensen was charged with paying Pellicano $100,000 to wiretap the former wife of his client, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. Christensen has denied the charge.
In the indictment, the grand jury alleged that an unnamed lawyer called Pellicano on March 15, 2002, and told him to contact Christensen about "going after" attorney Stephen A. Kolodny, who was representing Kerkorian's former wife in a child custody battle. Kolodny had reported Christensen to the state bar for contacting his client, Lisa Bonder Kerkorian, without her attorney present.
Wasser was the unnamed lawyer, according to attorneys representing individuals who have been questioned in the Pellicano case. Wasser did not return calls seeking comment about the Christensen indictment. The government's interest in Wasser was first reported Tuesday by the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
