Ex-boyfriend sentenced to 4 years in jail for plot to blackmail daughter of Formula One boss

LONDON – A former boyfriend of British socialite Tamara Ecclestone has been sentenced to four years in prison for plotting to blackmail her for 200,000 pounds ($303,000).

Derek Rose was convicted of the extortion attempt against Ecclestone, daughter of Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone.

Rose dated Ecclestone, now 28, in 2002. Prosecutors said that after Ecclestone appeared on a reality TV show called “Billion Dollar Girl” in 2011, he sent an email threatening to reveal personal details to a tabloid newspaper unless she paid. In fact, no newspaper had bought his story.

Passing sentence Tuesday, Judge Andrew Goymer told Rose he was guilty of a “cynical and greedy” crime.

Bernie Ecclestone is one of Britain’s wealthiest men, with a fortune estimated at 2.5 billion pounds ($3.7 billion) by the Sunday Times Rich List.