American Media Inc. took several weeks after signing a source agreement to vet a story provided by a source named Sajudin. During a testimony, it was revealed that Sajudin had threatened to take the story elsewhere, prompting AMI to pay him $30,000 to secure the story. The CEO of AMI confirmed that losing control of such a story would be a significant loss for the company if it turned out to be true.
It was emphasized that walking away from Sajudin's story would not have made business sense for AMI, indicating the importance of maintaining control over potentially damaging information. The delay in vetting the story and the decision to pay Sajudin highlights the strategic considerations and financial implications involved in managing sensitive information within media organizations.
