Lowe accused of sexual abuse

One of three former employees being sued by actor Rob Lowe says the actor sexually abused her for years but she continued to work for him and his wife because she loved their two boys and needed the job. In legal papers filed in Santa Barbara, Calif., Jessica Gibson says Lowe touched her inappropriately several times between September 2005 and January 2008. Gibson worked for Rob and Sheryl Lowe on and off for seven years before quitting on Feb. 24. Last week, Lowe sued three former employees, including Gibson, who demanded $1.5 million to remain silent about the abuse allegation, which his attorney dismissed as "outrageous" and "untrue." (AP)

Actor Wesley Snipes should get three years in prison and pay a $5 million fine for failing to pay taxes to reassure "average citizens" that the law applies to everyone, US prosecutors said in a court filing. They estimated that Snipes failed to pay $15.6 million in income taxes over six years, hid millions of dollars in offshore accounts, and threatened US government employees. Snipes was convicted in February on three federal misdemeanor tax charges and is scheduled to be sentenced April 24. (Bloomberg)

A Harry Potter fan who wants to publish an encyclopedic guide to the wildly popular fantasy novels broke down and cried on the witness stand yesterday as he reluctantly faced off in federal court against his idol J.K. Rowling. The British author is suing publisher RDR Books for copyright infringement over its plans to publish a "Harry Potter Lexicon" based on a website created by Steven Vander Ark, 50, a former middle school librarian from Michigan who counts himself among Rowling's most devoted readers. Vander Ark wept openly when asked to reflect on what the case has done to his relationship with the community of Harry Potter fans. (AP)

Naomi Campbell wants to give blood to help fight a dengue fever epidemic, but Brazilian officials won't take it yet. The British supermodel arrived at the HemoRio medical center yesterday (above) to take part in a blood drive but was turned away. Officials there say she needs to wait longer after having surgery in February to remove a cyst. An outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever has infected more than 75,000 people in Rio de Janeiro state this year and killed at least 80. (AP)

"I do not rap on any of these things. I wouldn't know how to fix my mouth to say some of the words." - Bill Cosby, who has recorded a hip-hop album, "Cosby Narratives Vol. 1: State of Emergency," with rhymes by guest rappers