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A former actor, now an animal rights advocate, allegedly attempted to hire goons to abduct a former employee and transport her to Mexico. This drastic action followed her successful $6.7 million lawsuit against him, which reportedly led to the financial ruin of his charitable organization, as recent allegations suggest.
Leo Grillo, 77, known for his role in the 2006 film “Zyzzyx Rd” with Katherine Heigl and Tom Sizemore, faces federal charges of attempted kidnapping. He is accused of offering up to $100,000 to an associate to capture Adriana Duarte Valentines and remove her from the U.S.
The legal documents state: “While in captivity, the woman would be pressured to cooperate with GRILLO concerning her lawsuit. GRILLO expressed his willingness to pay $100,000 to achieve this goal.”
The FBI intervened, having the intended kidnapper proceed with the plan under observation. Grillo continued his scheme even after being presented with a fabricated image of Valentines and her spouse bound and gagged.
Back in 1979, Grillo established Dedication and Everlasting Love to Animals Rescue (DELTA) near Los Angeles, claiming it to be the nation’s largest no-kill animal shelter.
Valentines, a Mexican immigrant, had sued DELTA for discrimination in 2024 after Grillo fired her because of her pregnancy — a court battle that forced DELTA to file for bankruptcy last year.
In December, Grillo allegedly reached out to a colleague who had business dealings in Mexico and offered the job in code, saying he wanted to produce a “documentary” about the unfair lawsuit.
When authorities added snags and delays to the phony plan, Grillo allegedly became more desperate and dropped all pretense about his intentions.
He kept sending orders and money even after seeing the fake kidnapping photo; his main concern was apparently getting the couple out of the country before Valentines’ grown sons got suspicious and called the cops, prosecutors claim.
Grillo’s career peaked with the 2006 movie “Zyzzyx Rd” — which he produced and starred in. The film — which has a 28% popcorn rating on Rotten Tomatoes, includes a young Heigl playing a “Lolita” character, according to IMDB.