Anthony Pellicano, the Hollywood private investigator, was convicted by a Los Angeles court for his methods of obtaining information for his rich & famous clients involved in legal disputes. On Thursday, Pellicano was found guilty of using wiretaps and other similar and illegal tactics to gather the needed info.

After nearly two weeks of deliberations, the 64-year-old was found guilty in 76 of the 77 charges he faced. Pellicano was convicted on charges of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft, conspiracy to intercept or use wire communications and manufacture or possession of wiretapping device.

Pellicano used his illegal methods on Hollywood superstars such as Sylvester Stallone, Gary Shandling and Kevin Nealon. The list of methods used by Pellicano included wire-tapping telephones, bribing police and telephone workers to run checks on behalf of stars and other high-class people.

The whole thing has surfaced in the summer of 2002 when Anita Busch, LA Times reporter at that time, found a menacing note and a hole in the windshield of her car. Then she found out her phones had been wiretapped.

As the federal judge read the verdict, Mr Pellicano had no reaction, according to The Associated Press. He was his own lawyer and did very little to defend himself. He underlined the fact that he worked alone and said about himself that he was a “lone ranger” who deliberately kept his accomplices in the dark.

Prosecutors said Pellicano was the mastermind behind a very efficient network of illicit information-gatherers. Through this system he was able to help his clients win legal disputes. He charged $25,000 minimum for his services.

As he acted as his own lawyer, the private investigator talked of himslelf in the third person.
“Pellicano alone is responsible.That’s the simple truth,” he said while facnig the judge.

Several Hollywood people are connected to the Pellicano case including comedian Garry Shandling, actors, Sylvester Stallone and Keith Carradine, and the movie producer Charles Roven.

Brad Grey, Paramount Pictures chairman, Michael S. Ovitz, former talent agent and music manager Freddy DeMann are some of Pellicano’s clients.