Eichenwald, Former 'NYT' Reporter, May Have Made Additional Payments to Source

By: E&P Staff Unsealed court documents filed in Tennessee suggest that former New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald may have made more payments to one of his sources. In 2005, Eichenwald wrote a series of stories for the Times involving online pornography and teenager Justin Berry, which drew wide acclaim.

According to people familiar with the documents, Eichenwald made additional payments of $1,100 through a PayPal account to Justin Berry and his business manager, the New York Times' Richard P?rez-Pe?a reports today.

Eichenwald had already admitted to paying Berry $2,000 but considered it a loan.

In a statement to the Times published today, Eichenwald wrote: "I have no independent memory of any payments I am alleged to have made in June 2005 through PayPal. If these PayPal payments did occur in June 2005, I am deeply sorry that my inability to remember them has resulted in permitting a series of convicted felons to cast doubt on the nature of my wife's and my efforts to save a young man who was caught in the grip of a cycle of drugs and abuse."

Times Executive Editor Bill Keller also told his paper in a written statement: "What we published in December 2005 was a disturbing portrayal of a pernicious online world. It is clear, however, that the methods employed in gathering the material violated Times standards. Had Kurt disclosed to us the full extent of his involvement with his sources and subjects we would have been obliged, at least, to have his work verified by another reporter."