Farrah Fawcett has talked to the U.S. Attorney and the FBI about an ongoing investigation into whether American Media Inc., parent company of the National Enquirer, is guilty of a criminal offense by reportedly paying a hospital worker to leak confidential medical information, her friend Craig Nevius tells EW. "She remains in contact with both [the U.S. Attorney and the FBI] either directly or through someone who she trusts to do so," Nevius said.
Nevius spoke to EW on Monday, after details of Fawcett’s battle with American Media and the National Enquirer were reported in an L.A. Times article. The Times story reports that Luwanda Jackson, an administrative specialist working at the UCLA Medical Center, pleaded guilty in December to a felony charge of violating federal medical privacy laws for commercial purposes by leaking Fawcett’s confidential medical information. She died in March of cancer before she could be sentenced. Prosecutors alleged that beginning in 2006, the Enquirer gave Jackson checks totaling at least $4,600 in her husband’s name, according to the Times. The entire plot was revealed after Fawcett herself launched a sting operation to get to the bottom of the constant leaks to the tabloids.
A rep for the FBI confirms that there is an "ongoing investigation into the compromising of medical records" related to UCLA and Jackson, but said the bureau does not comment on persons involved in its investigations.
Nevius tells EW that Fawcett was preparing to sue the National Enquirer for invasion of privacy (for printing true facts about her cancer) and defamation (for printing lies about her cancer). A December 2006 Enquirer article headlined, "Farrah Begs: ‘Let Me Die,’ " was particularly unsettling for the actress. "God, I would never say something like that," Fawcett, 62, told the L.A. Times. "To think that people who did look up to me and felt positive because I was going through it too and yet I was strong…it just negated all that."
Nevius says American Media offered Fawcett a large monetary payment and promises to retract any information they had printed about her fight against cancer to avoid a lawsuit. He says Fawcett rejected the initial offer and asked for a larger sum to be donated to her Fight the Fight foundation along with a promise not to write about her in the future. Cameron Stracher, senior media counsel for American Media Inc., denies any such deal. "The National Enquirer never made a monetary offer to Ms. Fawcett," Stracher told EW. He also referred to the following statement submitted to the L.A. Times: "The National Enquirer respects Ms. Fawcett and her brave battle with cancer, and acknowledges, as she has, that her public discussion of her illness has provided a valuable and important forum for awareness about the disease."
Nevius says although American Media publications are still writing about Fawcett, he is confident that this is not the end of the story. "I have not given up the hope that Farrah will continue to pursue it," he says. "Farrah is a fighter."
Additional reporting by Kate Ward.
More Farrah Fawcett:
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Farrah Fawcett: NBC News to air ‘Farrah’s Story’ special on May 15
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Comments (1-13) of 13 Add your comment
Why aren’t the magazines — like Star and Enquirer — that bribe hospital employees to release celebrity medical records being prosecuted. I noticed that Bonnie Fuller was finally let go by American Media after one set of revelations was aired, but nothing further was done to these magazines and the people who set those policies. As long as there’s a market for celebrity medical records, there will be clerks who work in hospital offices who can be bribed.
Why don’t celebs, with all their financial clout, hire private eyes to dig up dirt on the people who work for (or own) tabloids … and pay people to distribute flyers with such information to the neighbors of these people? The best DEfense is a good OFFense – and what’s sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander.
The tabloid media and marketing helps celebrities’ careers when they want it(remember Farrah’s poster?). But when they don’t want it, they are the victims. It’s my opinion celebrities cannot have it both ways.
Celebrities CAN have it both ways. They can release want they want, and hold private what they want, just as you and I can. My only saving grace is that don’t care about me, because I’m not a public figure. The idea that a celebrity somehow loses their rights, is the result of a very bad court decision, that has made ANY public figure open to media scrutiny, whether it is newsworthy or not. And, that is a decision that needs to be reversed.
This is soooo ‘Undercover Angel’ (#1 hit by Alan O’day in 1977) of Jill, oh, I mean, Farrah!
let that woman die in peace and dignity. How about a black out on Farrah news…oh wait, you hypocrites wouldn’t know how to make your money in a different way other than sensationalizing someone’s agonizing death of a horrible disease.
Disgusting.
Farrah is a treasure and it was weird how she taped herself die, but her reality show never took off, so atleast she can go down being famous, instead of a past celebrity. http://christiansinglesdate.com
It is the medical professionals, NOT the tabloids that have an obligation to Farrah.
My mother had the same cancerous evil as Farrah. Ryan, you are doing all you can, take care of yourself. It can overwhelm you out of your love for Farrah. I think about her every day. There was a point, because of the pain my mother endured, I was so thankful that she no longer was in such excuriating pain. Ryan, thank you for being with her. It’s the greatest act of ultimate love. Without you, she would have faced this alone. Don’t forget what you have done.
Ryan:
I just read some of the other comments. Forget all that is negative. Farrah is so brave to make this documentary. Farrah has always been brave, but maybe she had to lighten up so as not to be stronger than the men she was with. In the end, we always see the real person. She loved so much, that she lightened up on her strength, so that the men in her life could feel stronger. She is full of love, even to the point of comprising her strength of character. Buck up…she was your strength.
Cliff, celebs has a diminished sense of privacy, not the same as you and me. I think the case is New York Times vs _________. I’ve briefed it, but I forget the case name exactly. This is teh downside of celebrity, no one pushes it upon you and you have to go to great lengths to get it, so toughshit to those who have it and whine of things like this.
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FARRAH FAWCETT : DE LA BEAUTE A LA POURRITURE ?
Pathétique, poignant, cruel comme un miroir renvoyant l’image de notre propre condition : Farrah Fawcett, ex-beauté incarnée, est en train de s’éteindre quasi en direct sous les caméras de télévision américaines. Cependant elle croit encore à un miracle, priant avec ferveur pour que la vie triomphe de son cancer alors qu’elle est en phase terminale.
Sur son visage, le masque de la maladie, de la vieillesse, de la hideur : notre masque potentiel.
Le plus effrayant : savoir qu’un humain peut passer de la gloire la plus complète à la misère la plus totale. Tout n’étant qu’une question de temps. Ce qui arrive aux êtres “immortels” peut nous arriver à nous aussi, simples mortels que nous sommes…
A travers son agonie nous assistons à notre propre fin.
Madame Fawcett ou l’histoire de la beauté qui devient décrépitude. Quand un destin de gloire finit dans la déchéance.