GREAT WHITE - JACK RUSSELL SUES EX-PUBLICIST

GREAT WHITE singer JACK RUSSELL is suing his former publicist after he told members of the press the group had profited from the disaster fund set up after their 2003 gig fire tragedy.

Russell filed his multimillion-dollar libel suit against CHARRIE FOGLIO in LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT, claiming the PR falsely accused Russell and his manager OBI STEINMAN of stealing money from the STATION FAMILY FUND, which was set up to help the victims of the blaze in February 2003.

The fire, caused by an ill-advised pyrotechnics display, ripped through the STATION CLUB in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 99 people and injuring 200 others.

According to the lawsuit, Foglio was fired in last summer (03) after allegedly telling lies to the press to further her own career, among other reasons.

The suit says after she was fired, Foglio threatened Russell and Steinman, saying that if they did not pay her a severance package, she would contact the press or the Rhode Island grand jury investigating the fire and tell them that Russell and Steinman were embezzling money from the Station Family Fund.