A photographer who took topless pictures with beautiful actress Cameron Diaz in her early days of career, is being sued for what prosecutors said was an attempt to blackmail her for more than $3 million.

John Rutter, 42, is charged in Los Angeles Superior Court for grand theft, perjury and forgery.
Diaz, 32, is trying to stop Rutter from selling the photos and videos of Diaz shot in 1992, when she was a largely unknown model.

The actress insists the signature on the release form of these raunchy pictures is a forgery.

The prosecutors are claiming that, in 2003, John approached Diaz, offering her a staggering $3.5 million for the photos, trying to extort her.

But the photographer's lawyer insists he was simply trying to "be a nice guy" by coming to her first.

"This is the case of a rich and powerful movie star who, through this prosecution, is seeking to crush and destroy John Rutter," defense attorney Mark Werksman said in opening arguments.

If convicted, he could face as much as six years in prison.