TMZ founder Harvey Levin stated he was prepared to pay a ransom in exchange for information about the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" host Savannah Guthrie. Levin told CBS News that an individual had been emailing TMZ for months following Guthrie's January 31 abduction, claiming to possess details that could lead to the suspects.
Levin said he contacted the FBI about a month prior to his interview, expressing his belief that the sender might be credible. The individual had repeatedly demanded one bitcoin, then valued at approximately $60,000, for the information and had consistently used the same IP address in communications with TMZ.
Levin proposed to the FBI a plan to offer the bitcoin and track its path, emphasizing that no action would be taken without the agency's involvement. However, he reported that federal agents initially promised a swift response but then became unresponsive. "I had made six calls and I felt they were ghosting us," Levin said.
Weeks later, the FBI contacted Levin with a request to cease documentary plans. According to Levin, agents indicated they were making progress in identifying the individual and believed they could do so. Levin expressed confusion about the FBI's approach, questioning why they would dedicate resources to identifying a potential scammer or, conversely, why they wouldn't pay the ransom if the informant was legitimate.
The alleged informant claimed to possess a "short video of the main guy with Nancy on the day that was probably her last," and offered to lead authorities to the phone containing the video and the addresses of two alleged kidnappers in exchange for the bitcoin. The sender also claimed two individuals were responsible for Guthrie's abduction from her Arizona home.
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that it had responded to the note by requesting a screenshot of Guthrie to verify the claim and had also alerted the FBI. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation, declined to comment on the matter.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home on February 1. Several disturbing ransom notes have reportedly circulated since her disappearance. Notes sent to Guthrie's family and news outlets shortly after her abduction, reportedly from the same IP address, claimed she was safe in one instance and, in another, stated she had died and been buried in nature. Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for help in finding her mother, describing the family's ongoing distress.