Mel Gibson Extortion Case Builds Steam

Everyone knew it was coming, and now it's here: A "source" tells THR of a text sent from Oksana Grigorieva to Mel Gibson explaining her recording of conversations that have all but devastated his career: "[Y]ou broke your agreement with me." Agreement? What agreement? How about a secret $15 million agreement?

The agreement was so secret it also appears to have been withheld from the judge who last month heard Grigorieva's arguments for a temporary restraining order. Sealed testimony reviewed by THR reveals that the warring couple not only had a tentative deal regarding their child together, but that the restraining order came nearly four months after Gibson's most recent alleged abuse.

The implications are that Grigorieva and her attorney Manley Fried might have anticipated the Gibson blow-up as a result of the tapings and their subsequent release -- all of which were motivated by a secret pact with no legal basis. Or, as Team Gibson might put it: Months after abuse the actor-director clearly acknowledges (and attempts to justify) committing on tape, he was on the receiving end of an extortion plot gone bad.

To be totally clear, while L.A. County Sheriff confirmed it is investigating Grigorieva, no such charge has yet been brought against her in a civil or criminal court. But if the rumored text message and family law judge Scott Gordon's comments to her attorney Manley Fried are any indication, they might be forthcoming:

"My question for you is this. Why wasn't I told about this agreement in connection with the request for a temporary restraining order? Mr. (Stephen) Kolodny (Gibson's counsel) is exactly correct. Had I known the parties had an agreement, I may not have issued the order the way I did; and I find it very troubling that someone comes in, without notice to the other side, represents facts to me, including the fact this woman is so afraid of Mr. Gibson that she needs immediate protection, even though by -- based on her declaration, it's clear that nothing happened for a few months.

"The things that happened were so horrible and it was quite understandable to me that she finally came to the conclusion that she needed a restraining order, even though the bad stuff happened in February.

"But no one then told me there had been this intervening agreement about the child, and I'm really quite troubled by that."

Freid's defense: Grigorieva entered the earlier proceedings without acceptable counsel from a family law attorney. Scott didn't buy it. Developing... bring your nose plugs.

· Secret Mel Gibson text message may prove extortion