In a potentially devastating development for Tiger Woods, his growing sex scandal and hush money payoffs have caught the attention of the FBI and IRS.
A top source in Washington, D.C., divulged that in mid-December "discussions were underway" involving those two government agencies about whether to launch a federal probe of the billionaire golfer.
"They haven’t pulled the trigger yet, but they smell blood in the water," the source told The ENQUIRER.
"Their interest was heightened when they heard reports suggesting that Tiger may have been paying for high-class call girls.
"It had already come out that Tiger’s company may have paid for the travel of at least one of his girlfriends for a recent hookup in Australia. If Tiger is using company money to do it – and if illegal activity such as prostitution is taking place – then they’re going to come down on him."
Since The ENQUIRER was the first to reveal Tiger’s cheating with the revelation that he had an affair with New York party girl Rachel Uchitel, reports have linked him to more than a dozen other women.
Rachel’s trip to see the golfer in Australia in early November was allegedly paid for by Byron Bell, president of Tiger Woods Design, according to published reports.
Bell has also been involved with the nonprofit Tiger Woods Foundation, which supports 100 charities.
Tiger’s dealings with Bell could raise many new questions about potential illegal activities.
"You can’t use charitable, tax deductible money for your own private purposes," said Craig Silverman, a former Colorado prosecutor. "It’s also legally problematic if you use non-charitable corporate money for personal sexual adventures."
Silverman, who is not involved in the Woods case, said one possible motivation for someone to use charitable funds to support mistresses would be to hide the expenditure from his wife and others.
As Tiger’s scandal worsened, Hollywood madam Michelle Braun was quoted in published reports as saying Woods had spent upward of $60,000 on high-class escorts in 2006 and 2007, including one beauty who was paid $15,000 for her time.
"When money is used repeatedly for purposes of sex and prostitution, federal authorities may initiate a criminal prosecution." Silverman concluded.
And the transport of escorts over state lines may violate an aspect of the RICO statutes – the willingness to commit an illegal offense by traveling interstate to engage in such illicit activities.
Meanwhile MSNBC.com reports the potent putter wired hush money to his harem.
Woods wired anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a month to several of the blonde honeys he’s been linked to.
One Tiger Girl told the net she received $20,000 a month.
"The money comes via a wire transfer." she divulged.
"There’s no contract about it, there’s no discussion about what it’s for, but it’s implied that it’s in exchange for keeping quiet about his affair."
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