A Manhattan socialite claims that she was blindfolded, beaten and injected with a "blue liquid" by her disgruntled ex-butler. Prosecutors said that Anne Bass, who is the ex-wife of billionaire businessman Sid Bass, and her boyfriend, artist Julian Lethbridge, were held captive by Romanian national Emanuel Nicolescu and two cohorts for 12 hours at her mansion on April 15, 2007. And perhaps worst of all, Nicolescu told her at the time that the blue liquid he injected her with was actually a deadly virus.
Nicolescu and the two others, who were masked during the attack, perpetrated the virus scam in order to exact $8.5 million from Bass, in payment for the antidote. Bass, who is believed to have received more than $150 million in her divorce settlement, refused to give into the demands however, and were left beaten and bruised. Nicolescu worked as a butler in Bass' Kent home until he was terminated a few months before the terrifying incident. He fled the country for a while afterwards, and was only captured this past January.
The lawyer representing Bass implored the judge to keep Nicolescu behind bars, pointing out that her clients "underwent a night of terror," citing his strong ties to Romania and his two at-large accomplices. The judge agreed to withhold bail; we're just sad he also withheld making a "he's my butler" reference.
