Oksana Grigorieva wanted $20 million from Mel Gibson in exchange for keeping her secretly recorded -- and terrifying -- audio tapes of the actor's infamous, bigoted rant private. Though her side of the story is that she wasn't asking for the money as part of a hush deal, but rather making good on what she, as mother of Gibson's child, is owed.

An article in today's Los Angeles Times exposes previously unknown communications and new details about the secret legal negotiations that led to one of the nastiest court battles in Hollywood history. Gibson and Grigorieva continue to spar over custody of their baby daughter, Lucia, and attorneys for both have been urged by a judge to avoid the media since the exes' dirty laundry -- including those terrible tapes -- leaked onto Radar Online, TMZ and other outlets on a continuous loop.

And now, the origin story:

According to the Times,, which reviewed texts, emails and documents pertaining to the case, it all began a year ago -- literally, it was in February of 2010 -- when Grigorieva sought a lawyer after Gibson told her she needed representation as he was preparing to add their baby, Lucia, to his estate plan.

Grigorieva -- a Russian singer whom Gibson began dating while still married to ex-wife Robyn -- was "not entitled to any of the actor's fortune under the terms of a 2009 cohabitation agreement that said she would get only a year's free rent in a Sherman Oaks home Gibson owned and a Dodge Charger if they split," the Times reports.

So the singer -- armed with the tapes and photos -- assembled a legal team that met with his lawyers to hash out a settlement. She initially asked for $20 million but he offered $18 million. They eventually agreed on a $16 million deal in May. The deal included joint child custody, $11 million toward Lucia, and, for Grigorieva, more than $5 million and, just to sweeten the deal, a Steinway piano from Gibson's Malibu home.

Grigorieva later reneged, claiming she was coerced into signing the agreement. The case is still at family court.

Meanwhile, amid the back-and-forth, Gibson and Grigorieva had kept in touch with a faint glimmer of reconciliation.

"You don't call. You don't accept my invitation to come. You hand tapes around & jeopardize us all," he texted Grigorieva on the day his team legal team was offering her an $18 million settlement.

Her reply: "I wouldn't have played ur messages if u were keeping ur word."

While Grigorieva was traveling in Russia last April, he emailed to tell her he had given their daughter, Lucia, a glow-in-the-dark rosary. "I have said prayers for you too," he wrote.

So, kinda like a lot of confused/confusing texts and emails exes send after breakups, only much, much more ill-advised.

As of right now, the deal remains unsettled (in more ways than one), and allegations of extortion on Grigorieva's part persist. Her lawyers insist she really just loved Gibson and that they are just doing what lawyers do: negotiate for money.

Wait, how we go from $18 mil DOWN to $16 mil??? What kinda lawyers she got working for her?

And really, we givin' up the coochie for a Dodge Charger and free rent??? These kids . . .

16 Million is more than enough to care for the baby and herself, and if she invests it wisely it can generate income for decades to come.

Take the money and get on with your life, Fool.

ick

SCNDLS said:

Wait, how we go from $18 mil DOWN to $16 mil??? What kinda lawyers she got working for her?

And really, we givin' up the coochie for a Dodge Charger and free rent??? These kids . . .

LOL! I was thinking the same.

"Ok, i give you 18 million"

"No, i told you already i want 16 and that's it!

SCNDLS said:

Wait, how we go from $18 mil DOWN to $16 mil??? What kinda lawyers she got working for her?

And really, we givin' up the coochie for a Dodge Charger and free rent??? These kids . . .

Hey, some chicks give it up just to ride shotgun in one and maybe have a utility bill paid.

robertlove said:

SCNDLS said:

Wait, how we go from $18 mil DOWN to $16 mil??? What kinda lawyers she got working for her?

And really, we givin' up the coochie for a Dodge Charger and free rent??? These kids . . .

LOL! I was thinking the same.

"Ok, i give you 18 million"

"No, i told you already i want 16 and that's it!

For real!

FauxReal said:

SCNDLS said:

Wait, how we go from $18 mil DOWN to $16 mil??? What kinda lawyers she got working for her?

And really, we givin' up the coochie for a Dodge Charger and free rent??? These kids . . .

Hey, some chicks give it up just to ride shotgun in one and maybe have a utility bill paid.

True. Just bad bidness all around make it hard for an honest ho like me to come up.

SCNDLS said:

FauxReal said:

Hey, some chicks give it up just to ride shotgun in one and maybe have a utility bill paid.

True. Just bad bidness all around make it hard for an honest ho like me to come up.

It's a recession though. The ho-ing standards tend to drop in a recession. What they need to be doing is giving it up for a house while it's a buyer's market. When shit turns around, they can sell it and make a 5-figure profit (6 if they're ambitious) off of a couple months of blowjobs and booty calls.

SCNDLS said:

Unless she is Oprah OR Martha Stewart, her vagina does NOT cost $16 million and up.

I knew she was trouble. Mel's obviously an asshole, but she's no better. She blackmailed him basically, and then couldn't even honour that dishonourable act. Trash.

SCNDLS said:

robertlove said:

LOL! I was thinking the same.

"Ok, i give you 18 million"

"No, i told you already i want 16 and that's it!

For real!

Funny, right?!

I thought about this, too, and I can only imagine the original $18 million offer was without joint custody of Lucia... or that stupid piano. Gibson's side probably planned it that way, knowing they could ultimately negotiate down to less money by dangling half the baby over Grigorieva's head.

Honestly, everyone in this looks like a scoundrel. I almost wish the earth would open up and swallow them all. I bet Robyn is looking at this all like

Let's say that

Mel Gibson is a twit with alcohol problems and several major issues since childhood

that russian chick is a nasty gold-digga

not much left to say, really

FauxReal said:

SCNDLS said:

True. Just bad bidness all around make it hard for an honest ho like me to come up.

It's a recession though. The ho-ing standards tend to drop in a recession. What they need to be doing is giving it up for a house while it's a buyer's market. When shit turns around, they can sell it and make a 5-figure profit (6 if they're ambitious) off of a couple months of blowjobs and booty calls.

Now that's some Suze Orman investment strategies for hos type shit!

BklynBabe said:

SCNDLS said:

True. Just bad bidness all around make it hard for an honest ho like me to come up.

ho, when you turnt honest?

Allllll my hos is honest! I'd never roll a dude's pockets whilst he was sleeping. A trick can rest easy round me.

Lammastide said:

SCNDLS said:

For real!

Funny, right?!

I thought about this, too, and I can only imagine the original $18 million offer was without joint custody of Lucia... or that stupid piano. Gibson's side probably planned it that way, knowing they could ultimately negotiate down to less money by dangling half the baby over Grigorieva's head.

Honestly, everyone in this looks like a scoundrel. I almost wish the earth would open up and swallow them all. I bet Robyn is looking at this all like

While spending the $100s of mils she got

Least she aint a cheap ho.

JoeTyler said:

Let's say that

Mel Gibson is a twit with alcohol problems and several major issues since childhood

that russian chick is a nasty gold-digga

not much left to say, really

Ahem......Ukrainian.

Ottensen said:

16 Million is more than enough to care for the baby and herself, and if she invests it wisely it can generate income for decades to come.

Take the money and get on with your life, Fool.

Do you really have to invest it wisely in order to live off it? I mean, isn´t that amount of money more than enough to maintain a nice lifestyle without any kind of investment? Or did you say that because the IRS would claim most of it if it´s not invested quickly?

Sure, a million is no longer what it used to be, but come on, 16 million dollars should last a couple of lifetimes, not decades.

KoolEaze said:

JoeTyler said:

Let's say that

Mel Gibson is a twit with alcohol problems and several major issues since childhood

that russian chick is a nasty gold-digga

not much left to say, really

Ahem......Ukrainian.

I stand corrected , lol

KoolEaze said:

Ottensen said:

16 Million is more than enough to care for the baby and herself, and if she invests it wisely it can generate income for decades to come.

Take the money and get on with your life, Fool.

Do you really have to invest it wisely in order to live off it? I mean, isn´t that amount of money more than enough to maintain a nice lifestyle without any kind of investment? Or did you say that because the IRS would claim most of it if it´s not invested quickly?

Sure, a million is no longer what it used to be, but come on, 16 million dollars should last a couple of lifetimes, not decades.

Yeah, even if you add up all my income from the first day I ever worked, I'm pretty certain I've been living off of a fraction of that thus far.

Old azz / middle age men can be stupid. Gibson will get with another dingbat and he'll pay and"get played", carry on.

Sixteen million what?

I wouldn't give her ass $16,000. Take her to court, sue for custody of the child, and if you lose..oh well, you're just out probably 16K per month until the kid is 18. The idea of giving her that much money in her hand when she's just a gold-digger, man-stealing, social climbing ho is reprehensible. They say don't hate the player hate the game but in this circumstance I dislike the player immensely. Ole no-talent ass heffa.