Tarita Virtue takes the stand

A lingerie model turned private eye has become the crucial witness in the trial of a private eye accused of snooping for A-list stars like Tom Cruise.

Tarita Virtue – named the “Sexiest Private Investigator in America” by Maxim magazine – is taking center stage in the trial against Anthony Pellicano.

Pellicano, who is defending himself against wiretapping and racketeering charges, has worked for lawyers who represented Cruise, John Travolta, Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor.

The FBI accuse Pellicano, 63, of raking in over $2 million by spying on Hollywood’s rich and famous, then blackmailing them by threatening to supply dirt to their rivals.

Tarita, who says she has now given up the private eye work, testified that former LAPD Sgt. Mark Arneson was given a “wad of cash” each time he conducted a background check.

Virtue, who started working for Pellicano in 2000, also said he had an elaborate computer password system to secure his files, which he identified individually with code names.

One such file – named “cruise missile” – referred to the “Mission Impossible” star, Virtue said.

Virtue also said that data were typically entered into the computer and that the paper trail of documents – supplied to them by Arneson – was then destroyed.

During opening arguments, Arneson’s lawyer, Chad Hummel, admitted his client “crossed the line” but said Arneson did not know that Pellicano was going to use the information supplied to him to blackmail others.

Prosecutors have said Arneson pocketed more than $180,000 in exchange for documents containing Social Security numbers and rap sheets.

Pellicano said during his opening remarks Thursday that customers in the entertainment industry paid him well because they knew he would “perform” for them.

Virtue, who is to continue her testimony next week, said she listened to wiretaps and transcribed the conversations.

“We had clients, and whoever the client wanted us to investigate, this is who I listened to,” said Virtue.