Witnesses Plead, Viper Room
United States Case Number: 5:24-cv-01930-TJH-DTB
This case involves allegations of assaults, property damage, corrupt persuasion, threats, audio tapes, witness tampering, record alterations, and intimidation that were reportedly covered up by Hollywood fixers in an effort to suppress witness testimony related to the Viper Room.
Anthony Fox, co-owner of the Viper Room, is currently missing. Witness and former Viper Room employee Mr. Albertini contacted Faydra Corkum, sister of Bruce Corkum, to inform her that Mr. Depp was employing Hollywood fixer Mr. Barresi. Bruce Corkum, who served as an assistant to Depp, reportedly faced hostility, including cups allegedly thrown at him by Depp.
Paul Barresi’s audio recordings, featuring “Johnny Depp’s consiglieri Adam Waldman,” reveal extensive and elaborate actions against witnesses, indicating that these were not random incidents but rather targeted efforts.
On September 29, 2022, Mr. Barresi reportedly continued to issue death threats related to his fabricated notes of interviewed witnesses. He claimed in one recording that women, including Stacy Lee Lopez and Donna, allegedly assaulted by Depp in the Viper Room, were irrelevant and possibly nonexistent. Barresi inquired about Mr. Depp to potential witness Jalee Carder, bypassing Donna.
Mr. Barresi is known to record many of his phone calls, with Mr. Waldman being aware of this practice. Mr. Albertini informed various witnesses of Barresi’s intimidating behavior, mentioning he knew the director of City of Lies. Barresi later wrote in an email, “Brad Furman is the director of City of Lies. I have him on tape for an hour.”
On November 15, 2022, Mr. Barresi sent an alarming message stating, “One down, about four more to go. And believe me, they are going down. Johnny & Adam Waldman are fully aware of who.” Mr. Waldman also penned an “In memoriam” on June 14, 2020, referencing an email about Barresi compiling “evidence against Johnny Depp for court,” detailing alleged violent behavior while noting a lack of witnesses to support claims against Depp in another “In memoriam.” The list of potential witnesses omitted nearly all names.
On December 15, 2022, Mr. Barresi shared an audio recording with Mr. Waldman. This recording only constituted a segment of a telephone call, which was included in a video edit released by Barresi and Waldman.
In the audio, Mr. Barresi mentioned a discussion regarding William Hazlet, relating to the “Art of Deception.” According to Mr. Hazlet, the Art of Deception must be habitual and uninterrupted, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.
The video showcased images of a broken windshield and a residential break-in featuring a masked individual. On or around December 30, 2022, Mr. Waldman reportedly rewarded Mr. Barresi with a call from Mr. Depp before New Year’s.
Ms. Howell expressed concerns regarding stalkers and threats, conveying her exhaustion from the ongoing harassment. She messaged, “So sorry this is happening… Professional tools for a break-in are not a normal thing. Who do you think can do that?” and added, “As for the vandalism, check your security cameras and/or install some.”
In June 2023, JCB International Training and Security Consulting communicated that Mr. Barresi was under federal scrutiny. After months of targeting Mr. Depp’s relatives, Mr. Barresi released an edited audio involving a family member of missing co-owner Anthony Fox, alluding to funds directed to his daughter Constance and a conspiracy theory linked to his death prior to testifying.
On June 20, 2023, the case of the “Mysterious Disappearance of Johnny Depp’s business partner Anthony Fox” was raised, with Barresi alleging new information that altered previous understandings of Fox’s disappearance and hinted at a potential cover-up.
The fear of retaliation from Mr. Barresi and his dealings with Mr. Waldman intensified. Witnesses had become increasingly anxious about Barresi’s travels to various states, especially considering Waldman’s financial negotiations that seemed to involve compensating Barresi. Concerns were also noted regarding how easily someone could be harmed, especially considering blocked testimony from Mr. Depp’s ex-wife, who had mentioned past threats made by Depp.
After settlement payments related to Depp v Heard, Mr. Barresi traveled to Washington DC where Mr. Waldman resides. On July 12, 2023, he boarded a chartered private jet from Dulles Airport to New York. A crew member confirmed that another man was present on board with a briefcase prior to Barresi’s arrival.
Licensed Private Investigator Mr. Brooks and JCB International speculated that the private jet and briefcase were indicative of a financial transaction occurring on the plane involving Mr. Barresi and Mr. Depp. Text messages from Mr. Brooks suggested that the trip from Washington DC to New York was tied to financial dealings involving Depp’s funds.
Following the Washington DC negotiations, Mr. Barresi published a second edited audio tape on July 19, 2023, asserting that Mr. Fox’s death was not concealed. He suggested that Anthony Fox had likely been killed by Paul Schindler, who was connected to the Viper Room. Fox’s family and friends have expressed a desire for justice.
Mr. Brooks noted that Mr. Barresi’s behavior had become “erratic,” and Ms. Taft observed a continuous escalation of pressure accompanied by audio tapes, financial dealings, and implications of death threats.
On July 23, 2023, Mr. Barresi mentioned having multiple conversations with Mr. Waldman regarding Isaac Baruch, a friend of Depp’s. During these discussions, Barresi characterized Baruch as a “career freeloader,” asserting that while Depp supported him, Baruch had been a burden financially.
On July 24, 2023, Barresi claimed that Johnny Depp listened to his counsel about ceasing handouts and taking a hard stance on those he termed “freeloaders.” He highlighted a discovery of 27 freeloaders, asserting that Baruch was at the top of the list, even stating, “They burdened JD financially, & a few even got him sued.”
Barresi also indicated a growing closeness with Waldman’s principles. On July 27, he shared a photo of three children and remarked on unpublished pictures and facts related to Johnny’s childhood. He later stated in Italian that if people did not obstruct him, they could acquire his information anywhere he went.
Shortly after, Mr. Brooks alleged that Barresi attempted to travel to an Italian airport where law enforcement awaited him. He subsequently returned to California after a visit to Georgia.
In August 2023, Barresi released two audio recordings referencing conversations with Adam Waldman and locating certain individuals. He showcased ghosted photos along with audio tapes of his discussions with Waldman.
By August 2, 2023, Barresi reiterated an email labeling Waldman as a “Consigliere,” a term associated with advisors in organized crime structures.
On August 7, 2023, JCB International reported meetings with three federal agents regarding Barresi’s manipulative behavior, labeling the assignment as “dangerous.”
Considering prior mentions of “ghosted images with a bat in the background,” Barresi again released tapes implicating others in violence towards witnesses on August 9, 2023. Both Barresi and Waldman continued to invade the privacy of the individuals involved, seeking their locations and exploiting recorded materials.
On December 7, 2023, Mr. Nitrini independently emailed a version of an audio tape involving Ed Shaw, the head bouncer of the Viper Room, which Barresi had allegedly been exploiting to coerce Mr. Albertini, omitting details of payments made.
The audio tape between Ed Shaw and Albertini included startling revelations about violence and conspiracies within the Viper Room, exposing serious threats made against individuals.
