Story highlights An ex-wife of Paculis says he once had a restaurant in Savannah

Thomas George Paculis, 62, is arrested for allegedly trying to extort Paula Deen

Paculis allegedly asked Deen's lawyer $250,000 not to go public with information

Deen has been scrambling after testifying she had used "N word"

FBI agents on Friday morning arrested a 62-year-old man who, they say, tried to extort Paula Deen by threatening to divulge "true and damning" information about the embattled celebrity chef -- unless he was paid to keep quiet.

Thomas George Paculis was taken into custody without incident in Ithaca, New York, by FBI agents and deputies from the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office, the FBI said in a press release.

There was no answer later Friday to a phone number linked to him in the FBI's criminal complaint, nor was there an immediate response from an e-mail address in that same document.

The former Augusta and Savannah, Georgia, resident appeared before a federal judge Friday in New York before being released on bond at about noon, said Stephen Emmett with the FBI's Atlanta office.

Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – In the wake of the recent deposition in which Paula Deen admitted to using racially charged language, many sponsors and partners have re-evaluated their relationship with the embattled chef. Deen's 15th cookbook, "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up," was set to release in October 2013. The book shot to the top of Amazon's pre-order list, but has now been canceled by Ballantine Books Hide Caption 1 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Food Network was the first partner to drop Deen, announcing that after 11 years, it would not renew her contract when it expired at the end of the month. Deen had three shows on the network and released a statement saying in part: "I have had the pleasure of being allowed into so many homes across the country and meeting people who have shared with me the most touching and personal stories. ...This would not have been possible without the Food Network. Thank you again. Love and best dishes to all of ya'll." Hide Caption 2 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Smithfield Foods terminated its relationship with the TV chef , saying: "Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. ... Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned." Deen became a spokeswoman for Smithfield, the country's largest producer of pork products, in 2006. Hide Caption 3 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Deen was a paid spokeswoman for Novo Nordisk, the company that makes the diabetes drug Victoza. The relationship came under fire from fans when it was revealed that Deen had known of her own diabetes diagnosis while still promoting fatty, sugary recipes on air and in print. The company announced that it is suspending its relationship with Deen. Hide Caption 4 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – QVC features the Paula Deen's Kitchen line of products, including cookware, bakeware and cookbooks. A spokesperson for the brand said: "Paula won't be appearing on any upcoming broadcasts, and we will phase out her product assortment on our online sales channels over the next few months." Hide Caption 5 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Caesar's Entertainment Corporation, which operated four Paula Deen-branded restaurants at its casinos, announced that it is severing ties with the chef. Deen still maintains a flagship restaurant, The Lady & Sons, as well as Uncle Bubba's Oyster House (named for her brother Earl "Bubba" Hiers), both in Savannah, Georgia. Hide Caption 6 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – World's largest retailer Walmart cut ties with Deen, saying, "While we appreciate Paula's sincere apologies for statements she made in her past ... we have mutually decided that it is in the best interests of both parties to part ways at this time." Hide Caption 7 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Sears Holding Corp., the parent company of both Sears and Kmart, said in a statement: "After careful consideration of all available information, we have made the decision to phase out all products tied to the brand. We will continue to evaluate the situation." Both stores carried cookware under the Deen brand. Hide Caption 8 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Home Depot and Target have both announced that they will stop carrying Paula Deen-branded kitchen and cookware items and phase out existing inventory. Hide Caption 9 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Hoffman Media publishes the bimonthly Cooking with Paula Deen magazine, which boasts circulation of nearly 1,000,000, according to Deen's website Hide Caption 10 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – In 2008, B. Lloyd's nut company announced a multiyear partnership with Deen. The celebrity chef develops and promotes recipes for the brand. Hide Caption 11 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Gobo Seafood sells Paula Deen Southern Dishes -- like Savannah crab cakes, seafood dip, seafood stews, crab stuffed seafood, fried shrimp, and catfish -- at grocery stores nationwide. The relationship began in 2009 and recipes are adapted from Deen's popular dishes at The Lady & Sons restaurant. Hide Caption 12 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Fans can enjoy a Paula Deen-themed vacation at the chef's beach house, the " Y'all Come Inn " on Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia. Perks include "VIP Guaranteed reservations" at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House and The Lady & Sons restaurant and a personalized Paula Deen cookbook. Hide Caption 13 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Fans can sail to the Caribbean on Celebrity Cruises' Reflection for a week-long jaunt with the embattled chef. Demand for Paula Deen Cruises has been so high, a second one has been added for 2014, according to Alice Travel, which hosts the venture. Hide Caption 14 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – Kaleen Rugs licensed a collection of Paula Deen Comfort Rugs, which debuted in 2008. The line has since been discontinued. Hide Caption 15 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – At the end of 2012, Serta discontinued its line of Paula Deen Home-branded mattresses. Hide Caption 16 of 17 Photos: Photos: Paula Deen's empire Paula Deen's empire – For two seasons, Kraft Foods' "Real Women of Philadelphia" campaign employed Deen as the celebrity host of a contest for home cooks who shared cooking videos featuring the brand's signature cream cheese. Kraft has not worked with Deen since early 2012. Hide Caption 17 of 17

He is scheduled to appear the morning of July 16 at a federal court in Savannah, where the criminal complaint was filed.

That coastal Georgia city is also where Deen built her business and brand into what many consider the folksy face of Southern cooking.

But she's been on her heels in recent weeks after admitting , in a deposition related to a lawsuit brought by a former employee, that she's used the "N word" in the past.

Lisa Jackson alleged Deen and her brother Bubba Hier committed numerous acts of violence, discrimination and racism that resulted in the end of her five-year employment at The Lady and Sons and Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, two Savannah restaurants run by Deen and her family.

In the media firestorm that followed, Deen lost at least nine lucrative endorsements and her Food Network cooking show, while the publication of her eagerly anticipated cookbook was canceled.

So how does Paculis fit in?

According to a criminal complaint, he interjected himself on June 24, five days after details of Deen's deposition became public.

On that day, he sent an e-mail to Deen's lawyer vowing that he was "about to go public" with information about the chef's use of the "N word" at Lady and Sons, according to a copy of the e-mail cited in the criminal complaint.

"The statements are true and damning enough that the case for Jackson will be won on it's merit alone," Paculis wrote, according to the FBI. "As always ... there is a price for such confirmation.

"You can contact me here if you feel it is necessary," he said, referring to his e-mail address, the criminal complaint states. "Or I can go public and we will see what happens then."

Greg Hodges, Deen's lawyer, exchanged e-mails with Paculis and the two talked over the phone two days later, according to the FBI. It was then that Paculis allegedly asked for $250,000 "net" -- or total, with taxes having already been paid -- in exchange for not talking, the criminal complaint states.

The two conversed a second time by phone June 27 when, "at the direction of the FBI," Hodges negotiated the hush money payment down to $200,000.

The next day, Deen told FBI agents that she didn't recognize Paculis's name or face, based on photographs.

Hodges declined comment on the alleged extortion arrest.

Nancy Aldridge, who was married to Paculis for four months around 1986, told CNN on Friday that he once had his own restaurant in Savannah though she hasn't had much direct contact with him in recent years.

Meanwhile, according to the FBI's criminal complaint, Paculis had also reached out to Jackson's lawyer. In fact, the agency alleges that the 62-year-old first reached out to Matt Billips by e-mail and phone on the same day -- June 24 -- that he contacted Deen's lawyer.

Billips said his staff conducted its own investigation of Paculis.

Paculis asked Jackson's lawyer how much he'd pay for derogatory information about Deen, the complaint claims.

"I have pushed the opposing firm to (give) me an amount of money, in cash to never been heard of again and to never utter Paula Deen's name in public or private ever again," Paculis allegedly wrote, according to an e-mail to Billips excerpted in the FBI complaint.

"Now the burning question is," he purportedly added, "do you want in."