Man charged over Lil' Kim jewels

Lil' Kim lost the jewellery on a flight to Los Angeles

A US man has been charged with demanding $25,000 (£15,400) from rapper Lil' Kim for the return of a necklace missing from her luggage.

John Acheson, 31, was charged in New York on Monday with attempted grand larceny, attempted grand larceny by extortion and attempted coercion.

There was no home telephone listing for Mr Acheson, who could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

Kim's jewellery - including her trademark Queen Bee necklace - went missing from her hand luggage last month.

They were found last week by an airline employee, wrapped in rags in a staff locker at New York's John F Kennedy Airport.

The rapper was travelling to Los Angeles from the airport in New York on 20 June. Her hand luggage, which contained some $250,000 worth of jewellery, was mistakenly mixed in with the rest of her luggage.

Mr Acheson was kept in custody on Monday while awaiting a first court appearance to enter a plea.

Investigation

When the rapper arrived in Los Angeles, the necklace and other jewellery was found to be missing. Her lawyer said last week it appeared her bag had been "tampered with".

Mr Acheson allegedly contacted Lil' Kim's lawyer last week, saying he had the necklace, which is studded with diamonds, and wanted money for its return. Mr Acheson is then said to have handed himself in to police on Monday.

The investigation into the jewellery's disappearance was still continuing, the New York Port Authority said.

Lil' Kim, real name Kimberly Jones, is a former protégé of Sean "P Diddy" Combs and murdered New York rap star Biggie Smalls.

Her 1996 album Hardcore made her one of the hottest female rappers in the US.