Price of Battered Rihanna Pic: $62,500
Price of Battered Rihanna Pic: $62,500
By Owen Thomas, 6:35 PM on Fri Feb 20 2009
Same source who revealed the $22k amount paid for Octo-Mom 8 Month prego-belly pic and $165k amount paid to Thomas Riccio in 2007 for hidden tape of OJ break-in, reveals pricetag on battered Rihanna pic.
Insider TMZ turncoats spilled the numbers Levin’s minions are believed to have shelled out for pix taken of Rihanna immediately after the alleged Chris Brown attack. The source of the photo leak, a law enforcement insider close to the investigation, reportedly raked in $62.5k, double the salary of the person suspected of leaking the pic. Sources state TMZ pays a relative or friend of the snitch within 24 hours of receipt of a photo to cover their tracks. TMZ has been in the business of paying high dollar amounts for coveted pix. In 2007 Thomas Riccio, O.J. friend/auctioneer, was paid a mind boggling $165k, our sources say, by check delivered to his home, from TMZ, for photos and recordings related recent memorabilia heist O.J. was jailed for.
The most unfortunate aspect of the the entire incident is not only the total disrespect for the victim, Rihanna, but the legal ramifications related to jury pool pollution the public revelation of this photo obviously has on the possible upcoming criminal case against alleged attacker, Chris Brown. Insiders say LAPD brass is “furious, subpeonas have already gone out.” The fallout for TMZ has begun as advertisers are pulling back from their relationships with TMZ due to the controversy.
Stay tuned Buffet-Goers, there is a whole lot more to be served up about this one.
source
Original ONTD Post (of the leaked pic).
Edit:
“Brown, even if guilty, could walk free because of the unauthorized release of this photo,” says and LAPD source.
aeryn: Because by seeing the pic, the majority of the public will immediately side with Rihanna and automatically place blame with Chris Brown. Basically it's unfair for a jury to decide on something they've basically made up their mind about already.