Source: Belliard extortion target

The athlete targeted in an alleged $150,000 shakedown by an unemployed ex-con was former St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Ronnie Belliard, a person close to the matter confirmed to the

Associated Press

yesterday.

Federal prosecutors have described the athlete in court only as "the victim." Court papers referred only to a "John Doe" in accusing George Edwards, 48, of extortion for allegedly seeking money for silence about the player supposedly impregnating Edwards' daughter.

The person familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is pending, identified the player as Belliard, a married father of two children who spent part of last season with the Cardinals and recently signed a minor league contract with the Nationals.

Messages left with the FBI and Edwards' public defender were not returned. Jan Diltz, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office, declined to discuss the matter.

Edwards, of Belleville, Ill., made a brief appearance Monday in U.S. District Court on a new indictment returned 5 days earlier, which added a wire fraud count to an extortion charge leveled Jan. 22.

Federal Magistrate Judge Mary Ann Medler has ordered Edwards to remain jailed without bond pending trial, saying his criminal past makes him a flight risk and public danger. Edwards has a history of arrests on drug charges in Illinois, California and Georgia, and is on parole in a federal drug-dealing case. He also has various weapons convictions.

According to the new indictment, Edwards told the athlete's agents by telephone that a paternity test proved the athlete had impregnated his daughter, and falsely identified health-care providers he said had tended to his daughter before an eventual miscarriage.

Even after the supposed miscarriage, the indictment alleges, Edwards said he and his daughter still wanted to be paid to keep them from telling the media.

Belliard, 31, last season hit a combined .272 with 30 doubles, 13 homers and 67 RBI with Cleveland and St. Louis, for whom he started at second base in the World Series.

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