TMZ founder Harvey Levin is sharing details on a new ransom demand received by the outlet, alleged to be in connection with the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy Guthrie.
TMZ reported receiving a further ransom note on Wednesday, February 18, requesting millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. However, unlike the first alleged ransom demand received by the outlet in early February, the outlet said this time, the sender demanded to be paid in a cryptocurrency besides Bitcoin.
The FBI has yet to verify the authenticity of the ransom notes received by TMZ and two local Tucson, Arizona, news outlets allegedly related to Nancy, 84. Us Weekly has reached out to the FBI for comment.
During a Wednesday night interview on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront, Levin, 75, shared further details about the new note, which he described as “more graphic and chilling” than the first ransom note TMZ received.
Scroll down to read what he said:
TMZ’s Harvey Levin on New Alleged Ransom Note
“It is a really sophisticated note. I had to get someone to help translate it for me. It involves a demand for crypto — not Bitcoin,” Levin said.
Levin said the new letter is more specific with demands than the first.
“The money will automatically go into this account if certain things happen. It actually involves the media, too, in terms of what the media puts out,” he explained. “But it’s a very sophisticated way of doing it where one thing triggers another, [which] triggers another. It’s beyond my level of knowledge.”
How Much Money Is the Ransom Note Demanding?
“The amount they’re asking for in this different type of currency is roughly the same as the amount in the first ransom note, the equivalent of $6 million,” Levin shared. “They graphically describe the consequences if they’re not paid.”
Is the Ransom Note Similar to the 1st Note TMZ Received?
Levin said, “It is a little more graphic and chilling. The previous one was also pretty chilling, but the way this is described is more so.”
Does the New Note Contain Proof of Life?
Levin was asked whether there were any indications of proof of life following Nancy’s February 1 disappearance or whether the new demand demonstrated any “inside knowledge” of the suspected abduction at her home.
“By inference, they do. They don’t say it directly, but by inference, they do, in terms of consequences,” he said.
What is the FBI Doing?
Levin said, “They’re looking into it,” referring to the latest alleged ransom note received by TMZ.
“They’re definitely looking into the first one. They have spent a lot of time on that first note,” he added, referring to an earlier note received by TMZ and local Tucson television stations. “That first ransom note has really captured their ongoing attention.”
Levin previously described the contents of the first note sent to TMZ in an interview with CNN on February 6.
That alleged ransom note described Nancy as being “OK, but scared” and said she was “aware of the letter and the demands” made within it.
“It felt like somebody means business. When you read it, it’s very detailed,” Levin said.
