German authorities are on the hunt for a man who allegedly targeted supermodel Cindy Crawford in a bid to extort US$100,000 from her and her husband Rande Gerber.

A mug shot of the alleged extortionist wanted in Germany, Edis Kayalar, 26, was flashed around the world. He has recently been deported back to Germany from the US and believed to be in Stuttgart.

Kayalar allegedly used a photo of the couple’s daughter gagged and bound to a chair in shorts to blackmail them, authorities said. Crawford and Gerber have two children.

Kayalar has been charged and could face up to two years in prison. The photo was taken by the child’s nanny for a game of cops and robbers, an affadavit in the case stated.

The suspect is believed to have stolen the photo. He met with Gerber at a bar and showed it along with a chilling handwritten note that read: “The babysitter went crazy and tied everyone up and they need your help! Please.”

Gerber paid him US$1,000 in cash for the photo and “for his trouble”, the affidavit said. But Kayalar is accused of demanding more money for a copy of the photo.

“He believed he could have received US$500,000 from the tabloids for the photograph and that he deserved more money from them,” according to the affadavit.

Kayalar was however foiled by the FBI after he was deported on a separate immigration violation three months ago. He contacted Crawford and Gerber again on November 1 and

threatened to sell or release the photo to the media if the US$100,000 wasn’t met, the affidavit said.

Kayalar said he “was not trying to destroy a little girl’s life, but the release of the photograph was not going to be something positive for the victims’ image.”

Crawford’s spokeswoman stated: “Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford intend to pursue any and all available legal action against anyone who aids the perpetrator in the distribution or sale of the photograph of their daughter.”