Anthony Pellicano was convicted on Thursday on federal racketeering and wiretapping charges. Hollywood private eye was convicted on 76 counts against him. Pellicano, 64, was found guilty of wiretapping Sylvester Stallone and having a co-defendant run the names of comedians Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon through law enforcement databases.

His co-defendants, a computer expert who designed “Telesleuth” wiretapping device, a former police officer and a telephone company official were found guilty of a variety of charges.

Michael Ovitz, former top agent and later president of the Walt Disney Company testified he hired Pellicano to dig up dirt on journalists writing about him and his company. Jurors had found out that he paid the indicted P.I. $75,000 in cash in 2002, and after that his lawyers added an extra $75,000 in exchange for these services.

Movie stars Chris Rock and Garry Shanding, and Paramount Pictures chief executive Brad Grey were among the witnesses who testified they hired Pellicano during disputes, asking him to find useful information for the trials.

The private investigator to the stars – the moniker comes from his work for some Hollywood celebrities – was indicted on February 6, 2006, on 110 counts in federal court in Los Angeles because he received confidential records of celebrities and public figures, such as Sylvester Stallone, Garry Shandling, or Kevin Nealon.

Pellicano and other members of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments allegedly accessed confidential records and tapped actors’ telephones. A month ago, the government dismissed 28 of the 110 counts collectively facing the five defendants, citing the unavailability of witnesses, among other reasons.

He will be sentenced in September and may spend the rest of his life in prison.