Media Matters Founder Says Ex Blackmailed Him for $850K

David Brock, 49, the founder of Media Matters, was allegedly blackmailed for $850,000 by his ex-boyfriend who said he would provide information about the organization's finances to the IRS, FoxNews.com reported.

Media Matters for America is a media watchdog group that is "dedicated to compressively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media."

According to the lawsuit that ended last year, Brock's then boyfriend William Grey threatened to expose Brock to the "scorn or ridicule of his employees, donors and the press in demanding money and property."

To help pay the blackmail, Brock had to sell his Rehoboth Beach, Del., home that's worth $1.5 million, the U.K. newspaper the Daily Mail noted.

Brock and Grey had been domestic partners for more than 10 years and the two men's legal battle started 5 years ago, when Brock began dating his new partner, James Alefantis.

The lawsuit said that Grey contacted Brock three times since they broke up and threatened he would report Brock to the IRS if he did not pay him.

"David, You and James pulled this same kind of sick nonsense in 2008 to try to hide your financial malfeasance," a May 2010, email from Grey to Brock and Alefantis said. "Next step is I contact all of your donors and the IRS. OK? Do you understand? This is going to stink for you if you do not resolve this now, I assure you."

It was never revealed what specific information Grey was planning on releasing to the IRS but according to court papers Brock paid Grey because he was "under duress."

But on March 8, 2011, Brock finally sued Grey for more than $4 million for the $850,000 he paid him plus millions for punitive damages. The men privately settled the lawsuit two months ago.