Gawker gives Ford video owners a month to collect $200K
Posted May 29, 2013 10:29 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Gawker.com is giving the men with the so-called Ford crack video a month to collect their $200,000 fee, according to media reports.
The New York-based gossip website first reported about seeing a video allegedly showing Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking from a crack pipe — a video that drug dealers were shopping around for six figures.
Ford commented little when the matter surfaced on May 16 but broke his week-long silence on Friday, denying the allegations.
“I do not use crack cocaine nor am I an addict of crack cocaine,” Ford said during a news conference at city hall. “As for a video, I can’t comment on a video that I’ve not seen or does not exist.”
Gawker editor John Cook, who wasn’t immediately available for comment on Wednesday, told the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star that if he hears nothing from the drug dealers in a month’s time the money will be donated as promised to a non-profit organization in Canada that helps people with addictions.
No group has yet been chosen, he wrote on Tuesday.
“As we initially pledged, if we are unable to consummate a deal and obtain the video, we will donate 100% of the proceeds to a Canadian nonprofit that addresses the consequences of substance abuse. We haven’t selected an institution yet. We will do so when and if the time comes.”
Gawker started a 10-day crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo to raise $200,000 to buy the video and post it online for the public to see. However, Cook said he lost contact with the video owners on May 19 and is trying to find them.
“You won’t hear anything more from us about our attempts to get the video for some time. This will be a very delicate transaction,” he said Tuesday.
Hours before its Tuesday morning deadline, the Indiegogo campaign raised $201,254 from 8,388 people.
Meanwhile, the Ford story continues to attract international attention with the Today Show and The Independent reporting about it.
Click here and here for their stories on the scandal that has rocked Toronto City Hall.
