Cindy targeted in 'blackmail' plot

Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber are the victims of a blackmail plot involving a photo of their daughter bound and gagged, authorities have said.

The picture, depicting the seven-year-old tied to a chair, was taken by the couple's former nanny and passed on to suspect Edis Kayalar, it is alleged.

The 26-year-old German has been charged with attempting to extort 100,000 dollars from the supermodel and her entrepreneur partner.

It is alleged that he repeatedly threatened to sell or release the photo to the media if Cindy and Rande failed to pay up.

The daughter told her parents, who had been unaware of the photo, that it was taken as part of a "cops and robbers" game with the nanny.

The affidavit claims Rande met Kayalar in a bar, where he showed him a copy of the photo. Rande eventually got the photo from Kayalar and paid him 1,000 dollars (£600) in cash "for his trouble", the affidavit said.

But Kayalar is accused of demanding more money while saying he had another copy of the photo.

Kayalar was recently deported to Germany. If convicted of extortion, he could face up to two years in prison.

In a statement, Cindy's spokeswoman said: "Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford intend to pursue any and all available legal action against anyone who aids the perpetrator in the distribution or sale of the photograph of their daughter."

Cindy, who divorced actor Richard Gere in 1995, married Rande in 1998. They have two children.