The Russian hooker accused of extorting ?former Gov. Eliot Spitzer had her bid for two separate trials shot down Tuesday.
Svetlana Travis Zakharova is charged with shaking down Spitzer for $400,000 in hush money over their relationship and targeting a second victim, Manhattan toy-store owner Paul Nippes.
Zakharova’s lawyers sought to try the counts against her separately, claiming that she will “suffer undue prejudice” if evidence pertaining to both victims ?is heard by a single jury.
Defense ?lawyers ?also argued that t??he charges against Zakharova were not part of the same “criminal transaction.”
But Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon denied the request.
?“Although she claims that the evidence is vastly different with respect to each complainant and that, as a result, the jury will be confused, the court disagrees,” the ju?dge wrote in just-filed court papers. “The evidence is straight forward and will not be difficult for the jury to consider on the appropriate counts.”
Jury selection is expected to begin on Sept. 25 for Zakharova, who wants to go to trial despite Solomon urging her to take a plea deal at her last court appearance in June.
Zakharova originally claimed that the disgraced Love Gov roughed her up at a $1000-a-night room at The Plaza Hotel after the pair got into an argument in Feb. 2016.
The 26-year-old fled to Russia after the dispute and the case eventually turned on her as details emerged tying her to the alleged extortion scheme.
Zakharova is charged with grand larceny and remains in jail on $1 million bond. She is due back in court on September 13 for pre-trial hearings.