A media bidding war is apparently under way for the exclusive rights to a tell-all interview with the US businesswoman at the centre of a conflict of interest row involving Boris Johnson, the Guardian has learned.
A US lawyer claiming to act on behalf of Jennifer Arcuri is inviting media outlets, including British publications, to bid six-figure sums for an interview with the tech entrepreneur.
California-based Michael Walsh – who says he represents Arcuri, having known her for 14 years – claimed five outlets were in the running for an interview with $225,000 the highest bid so far.
Walsh said there was a “queue” of five “interested parties”. He said Arcuri was willing to speak about her friendship with Johnson in the next 72 hours but “the price has to be right, that’s the way it is”.
It is the latest twist after revelations more than 10 days ago that firms run by Arcuri received £126,000 of public money, some of which was awarded while Johnson was London mayor. She also went on three overseas trade missions led by Johnson, having initially been turned down for two of them. Arcuri has said all the allegations are false.
On Tuesday, the Guardian revealed a Whitehall official who ran the scheme that granted Arcuri a coveted entrepreneur visa had worked for Boris Johnson when he was mayor. Johnson refused three times to deny outright that he had had an affair with Arcuri during an interview with Sky News earlier this week.
Walsh told the Guardian on Wednesday: “I’m not going to put words in her mouth. I’ve known her quite a while and it’s kind of a difficult situation for her.
“She’s very angry about the whole situation, particularly the aspects of recriminations against her supposedly taking public funds. She vehemently denies that and says all her actions were legal and above board.”
The lawyer, a registered attorney in California, said Arcuri would be going with “the best package … it may not necessarily be for the highest amount”.
He added: “She wants to get her story out there and I’ve been given my instructions.”
Asked how the Guardian could be sure he did represent Arcuri, he replied: “I do, I’ve known her for 14 years.”
On Wednesday, the Daily Mail tracked down Arcuri near her Los Angeles home. “Someone has gone to great lengths to put together a massive attack and I stand by the legitimacy of my business. I am in fact a legitimate businesswoman,” she reportedly said.
The paper reported Arcuri had been lying low since the allegations, quoting an unnamed friend as saying: “She is still deciding how best to get her side of the story across. She is an astute and serious businesswoman and knows she needs to regain control of this situation.”
News of the auction for Arcuri’s story comes two days after it was reported that her laptop, containing personal details of her time with Johnson, had been stolen.
The Daily Mirror reported that the device had been stolen in the UK in the past 10 days, quoting an unnamed friend as saying: “Her laptop contains so much personal information covering the time she knew Boris. She is racking her brains as to what it may hold. There are pictures, emails and documents on the laptop which she is terrified could be hawked around if someone gains access to it.”
Arcuri did not respond to a request for comment.
