L.A. hospitals favored by celebs on payroll of tabloids for years?

According to a new report, employees at L.A. hospitals favored by celebrities have allegedly been on the payroll of the tabloids for years, based on transcripts obtained of taped conversations among dirt-digging reporters at the Globe magazine.  Feds probing the alleged sale of cancer-stricken Farrah Fawcett’s medical records to The National Enquirer seem to have found ‘moles in many hospitals feeding information to the tabloids.

Recordings, made by former Globe managing editor Jim Mitteager, allegedly capture him talking with his reporters and sources about stars who allegedly have undergone cosmetic surgery and abortions, as well as been treated for mental illness, bulimia and AIDS!!!

Some of the celebs mentioned in the conversations are Tom Cruise, Jessica Lange, Liz Taylor, Billy Crystal, Kelsey Grammer, Magic Johnson, Roseanne Barr, Al Pacino, Paula Abdul, Frank Zappa and Vanna White.

Recorded between 1992 and 1993, the tapes suggest the impunity with which hospital workers trafficked in sensitive information. A reporter says on the tape, “The people who want to sell the story have physical proof. They want $4,000. They want to move fast because it’s Christmastime and they want to get paid.”

A lawyer for several celebs mentioned on the recordings said he would ask his clients if they want to pursue legal action.

A publicist for Kelsey Grammer, Robert De Niro and George Clooney, said, “It’s alarming that this criminal activity could go on so long without being detected.”