Wesley Edens, the billionaire co-owner of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, was the victim of an alleged $1 billion extortion scheme following a sordid love affair, according to federal prosecutors.
China-born Changli 'Sophia' Luo, 46, has been charged with four counts, including blackmail, extortion and destruction of records, the Wall Street Journal reported.
A trial is expected to take place in New York later this year. Luo, who was arrested in June 2025 at JFK airport while trying to board a flight to China, has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. She is currently free on a $500,000 bond and has been placed under home detention.
Edens, who divorced his longtime wife in 2021, was first contacted by Luo on LinkedIn in 2022. She had founded a nonprofit organization that conducted interviews with entrepreneurs and environmentalists.
During their third meeting, in June 2023, prosecutors say Edens and Luo had sex at her apartment and that sparked the alleged extortion scheme.
Court records allege Luo threatened to share photos and videos of her having sex with Edens if he did not pay her more than $1 billion. She even allegedly wrote him love letters and said in one: 'I have been restraining my feeling for you, as I do love you from the bottom of my heart,' according to the Wall Street Journal report of the filing.
Wesley Edens was the victim of an alleged plot to extort him for $1 billion after a sexual relationship, according to federal prosecutors
Four charges, including blackmail, extortion and destruction of records, have been filed against 46-year-old China-born Changli 'Sophia' Luo in federal court in New York
It has been alleged that she even made contact with members of Edens' family and threatened to 'approach investors' and 'destroy him'.
On one occasion, Luo is alleged to have used a fake name to visit Edens' girlfriend at the time at the doctor's office where she worked. Luo is said to have told the woman, who is now married to Edens, about the sexual encounter and called him a terrible person.
Luo has accused Edens of having sex with her while she was 'mentally incapacitated' and is said to have told him that a series of cameras around her home had filmed 'everything he did to her', the filings reportedly claim.
Edens has denied those claims but reportedly went along with Luo's scheme out of fear of being shamed in public. Court records show he agreed to settle the matter for $6.5 million, with $1 million as an upfront payment.
Luo is then said, in the court filing, to have tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease after the settlement was reached and blamed Edens. Prosecutors claim she asked for a staggering $1.215 billion.
An investigation was finally started in early 2025 after Edens' lawyer contacted the Manhattan US attorney's office.
A spokesman for Edens told The Wall Street Journal: 'Mr Edens will be making no comment on the case as the indictment speaks for itself with respect to the charges against the defendant.
'Mr Edens expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.'
Lawyers for Luo want the charges thrown out and claim she was seeking justice and compensation for 'an inappropriate and aggressive sexual encounter.'
Billionaire Edens owns the Milwaukee Bucks and English Premier League team Aston Villa
Edens' daughter, Mallory, represented the Bucks at this year's NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday
In May last year, FBI agents reportedly found two phones - one in a laundry basket and another in a box of sanitary pads - at Luo’s Manhattan apartment.
One is alleged to have pornographic videos and images that had Edens' face on another man’s body stored on it, prosecutors said.
Edens is the co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and also co-owns Premier League soccer team Aston Villa.
News of the alleged extortion plot came on the same day that Edens' daughter, Mallory, represented the Bucks at this year's NBA Draft Lottery.
The model, who had a brief relationship with Aaron Rodgers, was present in Chicago as the Bucks were awarded the No 10 overall pick in next month's NBA Draft.