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Iowa woman pleads guilty to ‘19 Kids’ extortion

IOWA CITY, Iowa — An Iowa woman has pleaded guilty to attempting to extort the parent company of cable network TLC by threatening to reveal an alleged affair involving a cast member of the popular reality show “19 Kids and Counting.”

Teresa Hunt entered a guilty plea Wednesday to one count of extortion during a hearing in federal court in Davenport. Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 9.

Prosecutors say Hunt sent letters to TLC’s parent company, Discovery Communications Inc., claiming to have photographs of a cast member of “19 Kids and Counting” that would prove an inappropriate sexual relationship. The show follows Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children.

Prosecutors say Hunt demanded Discovery either cancel the show or pay her $10,000, or else she would leak the photos to a tabloid.

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