TMZ boss says FBI 'ghosted' his offer to pursue ransom lead in Nancy Guthrie disappearance
TMZ founder Harvey Levin has revealed that he was prepared to pay a bitcoin ransom demand from a person claiming to have critical information about
TMZ founder Harvey Levin has revealed that he was prepared to pay a bitcoin ransom demand from a person claiming to have critical information about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC's Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, but says the FBI initially "ghosted" his attempts to coordinate with investigators. TMZ head Harvey Levin says FBI 'ghosted' TMZ over Nancy Guthrie lead Speaking in interviews with CBS producer Anna Schecter and CNN host Michael Smerconish, Levin detailed a series of communications between TMZ and an anonymous individual who has repeatedly contacted the media outlet since Guthrie's disappearance in late January. According to Levin, the individual has consistently demanded one bitcoin — currently worth approximately $60,000 (£44,000) — in exchange for information that could allegedly identify those responsible for Guthrie's disappearance. "A month ago, I called the FBI, and I said, 'Look, I just have this sense this guy might be real,'" Levin said, explaining that the sender had used the same IP address across multiple communications with TMZ. Levin said he proposed collaborating with federal authorities on a documentary project that would allow investigators to trace the bitcoin payment.
"And I said, 'What if we do a documentary, and we put that money in the bitcoin address and follow the path and where it goes?' And we'd obviously not do anything without you, but just because we have this sense it's real, what if we do this?" he continued. According to Levin, investigators initially indicated they would respond promptly. However, he said repeated attempts to follow up went unanswered. "I had made six calls and I felt they were ghosting us," Levin said. The TMZ founder said federal agents eventually contacted him again, this time requesting that the outlet cease its own efforts. "I did get a call back this week and they asked us to stand down, to not do the documentary. "I was told that they feel like they're making progress in terms of identifying this person, and they think they can do that," Levin claimed. The response, Levin said, left him questioning whether investigators consider the anonymous source credible. "If you're asking me, how do I make sense of all of it?
I'm having trouble," he said. "On the one hand, if they think this guy is just a jerk trying to scam money, why are they spending all this time…trying to figure out who this guy is?" Levin wondered aloud during a separate interview with CNN host Michael Smerconish. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie case: Investigators say note claiming she died came from abductors "On the other hand, if he's legit, why didn't they pay the one Bitcoin he's asking, which is around $60,000 to lead them to the kidnappers – and possibly Nancy Guthrie?" he added. Levin further disclosed details of what he described as the sender's most recent communication, which allegedly offered evidence "on a silver platter" in exchange for payment. "He specifically says he has a 'short video of the main guy with Nancy on the day that was probably her last,'" Levin told Smerconish. "He goes on to say he had the phone with that video in a safe location. The phone is turned off. "In return for the bitcoin, he will lead them to the phone, give them the password that will then let them look at the video, as well as the addresses of the two people he says are the kidnappers," Levin said.
The BriefWire