Dan Sandler was arrested last year for going on an anti-Semitic rant in Times Square while dressed in an Elmo costume. Credit: YouTube
An Elmo impersonator who was arrested last year for going on an anti-Semitic rant in Times Square is now charged with trying to extort $2 million from the Girl Scouts.
Dan Sandler, 49, allegedly sent harassing emails to Girl Scouts staff and threatened to spread rumors about sexual abuse in the organization, The New York Post reports.
He said in the emails that he would tell the public that the Girl Scouts helped arrange sexual encounters between underage girls and adult men, prosecutors said.
Sandler began sending emails to a Girl Scouts supervisor last year, whom he had met previously when he held a temporary job with the organization, the Post reported. By February of this year, he allegedly sent semi-nude photos of himself and demanded reparations for being “harassed.”
Last year, Sandler pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for screaming, “The Jews are responsible for everything that’s wrong with the world!” and “I hate Jews!” while dressed up as the popular Sesame Street character in Times Square.
Sandler was arrested in San Francisco in the New York extortion case last month. He is dealing with mental health issues, according to his lawyer.
Sandler is being held on $200,000 bail and is due back in court on June 13.
