EXCLUSIVE: Timothy Busfield Claims He Was 'Extorted' in 1993 Sexual Misconduct With a Minor Lawsuit — 'It Did Not Interrupt My Career and It Did Not Stop People Putting Me In Positions of Power’
Timothy Busfield was accused of sexual misconduct.
July 17 2026, Updated 4:40 p.m. ET
Timothy Busfield, who was hit with sexual misconduct charges earlier this year, willingly recalled to his grand jury that he was sued in 1993 after a woman claimed he acted inappropriately towards her at only 17 years old.
The West Wing alum alleged the old lawsuit inspired the parents of his recent child accusers to bring allegations against him – accusations he said were totally false. According to Busfield, the parents allegedly discovered the case and decided to engage in a "revenge plot" when their kids weren't recast in The Cleaning Lady. The actor, however, also insisted the entire 1993 lawsuit was a sham and an attempt to "extort" him, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Timothy Busfield Calls 1993 Allegations 'Extortion'
He was sued in Minnesota in 1993.
The director insisted the lawsuit in Minnesota was an attempt at "extortion," in grand jury testimony audio obtained by Radar.
As he explained to the grand jury, who ultimately indicted him on the 2026 charges, "In Minnesota, I was accused of trying to kiss a 17-year-old and then having her fired, and from that sprang a big lawsuit aimed at (entertainment studio) Castle Rock and (film studio) Columbia. Maybe that was the studio on that."
The lawsuit revolved around an extra, identified only as R.M. in the lawsuit obtained by Radar, on the set of his movie Little Big League (1993).
In the lawsuit, the attorneys for the woman claimed, "Busfield tried to coerce the girl into having intercourse with him by claiming he had an arrangement with his wife. He allegedly asked her if she was a lesbian after she rejected him."
She further alleged he got her drunk before fondling her b------ and put his foot into his crotch in an effort to force her into s--.
Busfield denied the allegations back then, throwing a defamation lawsuit back at the law firm of Messerli & Kramer. However, U.S. District Judge James Ideman ordered the actor to pay nearly $150,000 to the Minneapolis law firm to cover the cost of their defense.
Timothy Busfield Claims Industry Still Trusted Him in 'Position of Power'
Busfield claimed he was being extorted.
Nonetheless, Busfield insisted it was extortion, and he believed people around him took his side at the time, pointing to his career as evidence.
While ultimately Busfield settled the case "for pennies to the what they asked for" and allegedly accepted a "gag order," his career still pushed forward, which he boasted about to the grand jury. "It did not interrupt my career, and it did not stop people from putting me in a position of power, and it has never been a thing," he proclaimed, claiming those in the industry didn't believe the girl.
However, the prosecutor swiftly hit back at Busfield, who also claimed the recent allegations against him ruined his career and his life. In addition to reportedly taking a toll on his family, Busfield argued inappropriate contact with a child would shut him out of the industry.
"My career would be over immediately if he went to his parents and said, 'That man touched my private parts," he argued.
Prosecutor Calls Busfield Out For Contradiction
Prosecutors pointed out his career didn't take a hit during the first allegations.
In response, the prosecutor hit back, "Even though your career wasn't over the first time there were allegations against you?"
Busfield, who was the first to bring up the Minnesota case anyway, insisted the two allegations were drastically different based on the ages of the minors.
In 2026, Busfield was accused of inappropriately touching twin boys on the set of The Cleaning Lady. The kids were under 10 years old at the time, and he was charged with four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under the age of 13. He pleaded not guilty.
Whereas the 1993 case involved a 17-year-old, Busfield pointed out that these were "prepubescent" boys. In his opinion, he stressed, that was a far more "heinous" crime.
He added, "A 17-year-old emancipated post-pubescent girl dancing in a bar owned by her lawyer as a shadow dancer, people read what they read into the investigation, and they decided on their own. This is completely not that. This is the most heinous of crimes, as far as I'm concerned, and it's me they're accusing."
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Busfield claimed he was the victim of a 'revenge plot.'
Busfield alleged he was the victim of a "revenge plot" by the children's parents, insisting the kids themselves were not to blame. The Minnesota case, he alleged, was likely the inspiration.
In fact, Busfield claimed the star of the show, Elodie Yung, was the one to first bring that possibility to his attention.
According to Busfield, Yung relayed to him that she spoke with the children's parents, and the mom brought up the Minnesota case. While Yung allegedly attempted to defend Busfield, the mom allegedly "said she didn't care, but she wanted revenge."
Busfield admitted he was sued, claiming people around him at the time took his side. He even claimed witnesses who would back him up were "threatened" to not testify.
However, he also believed that "other people," like the victim's family, might see a case against him as an easy payday.
Busfield said, "Maybe (to) other people (it seems) that I'm an ATM that you can easily rob, and I think it motivated them, it motivated them for money. I think it motivated them. This is my guess based on my feelings, but also evidence from Elodie that they knew about it."
