All this hoopla caught the unwelcome eye of online extortionists, who crashed Tew's "Million Dollar Homepage" after he refused to cough up a $50,000 ransom. The site went back up six days later, but the FBI got involved and lawsuits are pending, because the crash technically broke the site's contract with advertisers. The deals ensured advertisers that the site would stay live and uninterrupted for the next five years.
Of the experience, Tew says: "The site has changed my life...in the sense that it has confirmed to me the power of creativity, that ideas work. It's proof that if we are willing to think a little deeper, there are often magical solutions waiting for us. It's been a roller coaster for five months."