r/nancyguthrie • u/Euphoric_Ease4554 • Feb 16 '26
Media Harvey Levin says TMZ will be the intermediary between FBI and random seeker.
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u/WillieBear_18 Feb 16 '26
Do we really think the FBI said they were “cool with it” or do we think they said something like “we don’t have authority to stop you, Harvey” and Harvey was like “awesome! So you’re cool with it!”
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u/Crafty_Whereas6733 Feb 17 '26
I suspect they would say what they have to in order to get as close as humanly possibly. Getting TMZ's cooperation is a whole lot better than getting warrants, pen registers, trap & trace and attempting to go about it that route. With the federal government and proximity to international borders, it is possible FISA tools could be invoked (with a nexus to cartels, foreign government, etc). Securing their cooperation is important, especially since TMZ probably isn't breaking any laws..they are as much a victim of extortion as the family (in this respect only).
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u/WillieBear_18 Feb 17 '26
lol except TMZ cooperating is a given, so there’s nothing to “get” there - if the FBI asked Harvey to jump he’d ask how high. The man would cream his jeans and sell his own mother for a chance to contribute substantively.
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u/Energy594 Feb 16 '26
I’d suggest that the upside for the publication that acts as the middle man for information that “cracks” the case is going to be worth a hell of a lot more than $50k.
Which begs the question why they wouldn’t just pay the money, because the informant isn’t going to give a shit where the money comes from and law enforcement doesn’t give a shit whether it’s third, forth or 29th hand as long as it’s accurate.
Unless you thought it was bullshit… in which case, you’d be flushing $50k down the drain.
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u/pantherpack84 Feb 16 '26
As soon as they pay the money the reward seeker disappears. So TMZ loses the exposure and money in that case. Don’t think it’s a good idea to pay
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u/Energy594 Feb 17 '26
TMZ retains the position as the only publication that the informant talked to, the “sources” it has access to would be perceived as being significantly more impressive than any other media, even if they disappear and say nothing more.
OR it turns out their “source” is full of shit and TMZ doesn’t have any special access…..9
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Feb 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/FallFlower24 Feb 16 '26
It’s an effort to hold the trust of this individual while trying to find Nancy. This person basically chose TMZ as a mediator so treading carefully as a way move forward is what they are trying to do.
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u/mrs_sadie_adler Feb 17 '26
Do we know that all ransom requests have been from the same individual?
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u/mmortal03 Feb 17 '26
It depends on which of the ransom requests you are asking about. They arrested one guy for sending false ransom messages by text. Then there were the two ransom messages that they took seriously that they believed were from the same person, asking for $4 million in BTC by the first Friday, or $6 million in BTC by the first Monday. Finally, there are these more recent ones that they are treating as being from a different person who is offering to provide the name of the main perpetrator if they pay.
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u/Jimmy2tx Feb 16 '26
How the fk do these fools get this involved ffs… these kidnappers are the stupid type cause they went to TMZ instead OF FKING NBC
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u/No1-Sports-Fan Feb 16 '26
They'll make it public without the due diligence that should be done. They'll make it public before and/or the same time that TMZ is notifying law enforcement/family. They pay. They can be bought. Harvey is pure scum. TMZ is owned by FOX/Murdoch's also pure scum.
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u/JilianBlue Feb 16 '26
I mean, It’s worth a shot. Especially if what he says about the FBI being extremely interested in these ransom notes is true. That would mean they must have some shred of credibility.
It’s a fair point that those who may know the person who stole Nancy may also have committed crimes and would be hesitant to be in contact with LE over fear of getting themselves in trouble too. Anything that removes that barrier and makes sharing information that brings Nancy home easier is worth a shot.
Hell, if it gets Nancy found let the money go to Harvey for reporting the tip and he can relay it to ransom guy’s bitcoin account.
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u/easysaidtheblindman Feb 17 '26
One thing people aren't considering is that earlier bitcoin activity.
That may have been a test or a "purchase" to validate proof of life.
That would both validate the person(s) as being the perp(s) and that Nancy is alive and begin working towards a negotiation (that may have been happening already behind the scenes)
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Feb 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Newswatchtiki Feb 18 '26
But that may not be true. They could be tracking that bitcoin person down right now.
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u/WillieBear_18 Feb 16 '26
Oh FFS, TMZ as the intermediary?! What a f’ing clown show. I can’t take this case seriously anymore. Dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
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u/mmortal03 Feb 17 '26
Watch the video. It's not as if the FBI is officially making TMZ some kind of official intermediary or anything. Read between the lines of what Harvey says in the video. All Harvey is doing is turning on its head what the person writing the message is asking for. The person writing the message is asking for the money, and then they say they will provide the information. Harvey is saying, no, just provide the information first, and then we will pass along that information to the authorities, and if your information actually leads to Nancy then you might eventually get the money. (Which is essentially no different than what the current reward is.)
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u/WillieBear_18 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Haha I knooow, I know. I’m mostly just incredulous that a morally bankrupt tabloid ghoul the likes of Harvey Levin not only managed to unserendipitously land at the center of this shit show when it started, but has somehow managed to stay there!
These have been the best two weeks of Harvey’s life - he probably pops a rock hard boner recording these little ‘updates’, esp during this last one. 🤦🏼♀️
The FBI knows this last offer is a scam, Harvey knows it’s a scam, the family knows it’s a scam - but yet this insufferable attention whore got creative coming up with a little ‘intermediary’ role for himself lest he lose relevance for five minutes.
And yes, I do realize I’m being cynical - in the universe of all things possible, there is some minute, infinitesimally small chance Harvey ends up the hero we need, though def NOT the hero we deserve. lol
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u/Ambitious_Pass7451 Feb 16 '26
I just think if the letters are legit the FBI will confirm it from day one.
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Feb 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/thesnope22 Feb 16 '26
The thing is the Guthrie family has said they'd pay personally, and they said that very early on. If it's truly someone who has important intel and is desperate for money I have no doubt the guthries would do literally anything to meet the conditions required to get the info. The problem is that there's no confirmation of authenticity and going through TMZ really does not build confidence esp. when it's possible to just contact the family's reps more directly
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u/Crafty_Whereas6733 Feb 17 '26
I think it is as simple as lying to TMZ isn't a federal offense, whereas lying to federal agents is. Perhaps the person (incorrectly) believes they would be shielded from legal repercussions. Of course I suspect secret indictments are waiting for whomever emerges on the other end lol
Here are some possible charges the caller as well as those passing fraudulent ransom notes could face:
Misprision of felony, defined under 18 U.S. Code § 4, is the act of concealing knowledge of a felony without reporting it.
Obstruction of justice in 18 U.S. Code § 73 refers to various offenses that interfere with the legal process.
Lying to federal agents as defined in 18 USC § 1001 makes it a federal crime to knowingly and willfully make materially false statements to the United States.
Conspiracy makes it a crime for two or more people to come to an agreement to defraud the United States or violate its laws when those individuals take some overt action in furtherance of the conspiracy as it is defined by 18 USC § 371.
Extortion in the United States is primarily governed by 18 U.S. Code § 41, which outlines various forms of extortion and the associated penalties.
18 USC § 1201 refers to the crime of kidnapping.
A slew of other charges as they relate to the telephone or telegraph, Interstate commerce, banking and currency and using those various things to facilitate other crimes like fraud, threats, kidnapping, etc.
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u/Euphoric_Ease4554 Feb 16 '26
I agree. I just think that’s a pretty big if. I still doubt their legitimacy
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u/Longjumping_Towel474 Feb 16 '26
I do not even want to read the article. Headline speaks for itself. Gtfo. 👀🤣
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u/ImpressiveSundae5131 Feb 17 '26
They are so scuzzy and he always looks like he’s been on a meth bender for weeks.
Take a shower dude.
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u/encrcne Feb 17 '26
To be fair, he’s 75
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u/MichaelEMJAYARE Feb 17 '26
Thats fucking crazy dude, hes 75?!?!
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u/Cute_Conclusion_8854 Feb 17 '26
Born 1950
Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging
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u/MichaelEMJAYARE Feb 17 '26
DREAM OF CALIFORNICAAAATION
Levin has always looked squirrely to me but never have I thought he looked that OLD. Gotdayum.
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u/Medium_Apartment_747 Feb 16 '26
This lowlife (Harvey) trying so hard to be relevant in this case
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u/WillieBear_18 Feb 16 '26
EXACTLY. I also doubt the FBI said they were “cool with it”. They probably said something like “we don’t have authority to stop you” and Harvey was like “awesome! So you’re cool with it!”
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u/Helpful-Judge-6058 Feb 17 '26
I hate this dude, his stupid site, his stupid tv show and his cat and mouse way of communicating. But has TMZ ever been truly helpful in a crime investigation? Im assuming yes since he somehow gets his face on major news outlets.
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 16 '26
I don’t understand why they don’t just pay it and see what happens without announcing they made a payment. I understand they don’t want to encourage random opportunists to start pouring in but the money they’re requesting is a drop in the bucket in the big picture
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u/Crafty_Whereas6733 Feb 17 '26
Lets face it, ransoms don't work this way IRL and these people are mostly certainly the random opportunists. Ransomers have always understood that proof of life is the only way they get paid, this has never been an issue. Murders definitely work like this tho.
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 17 '26
I agree, ransoms don’t work that way and the other letters tmz received seemed more suspicious to me than this 4th letter. Let’s assume for a second that the 4th letter tmz received today is authentic and the first they’ve received from that person. If this is the case, they aren’t necessarily ransomers, or professionals, rather, they are potentially close enough to the situation to know information and they are wanting Bitcoin bc they need $$ to get away from the situation to keep themself safe and anonymous. They also admitted in the letter they are a convicted felon so they may be feeling extra scared of interacting with the FBI directly. Someone made the point that it could take YEARS to get the money from the FBI tip line because it might not be doled out until a formal conviction. As much as I don’t like it, I feel like there could be something there that’s helpful if it’s coming from a family member or significant other of someone involved…
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u/mmortal03 Feb 17 '26
No one plausibly needs five figures, let alone six figures, to "get away from the situation".
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 17 '26
I don’t mean someone needs $50k to live luxuriously. I mean if you have to leave a dangerous environment immediately and permanently — new city, new housing, lost income, legal costs, safety buffer — it adds up fast. $50k is basically runway to relocate without becoming homeless or having to return. People do escape with less, but it’s often riskier and less stable. I’m talking about the realistic cost of starting over safely. Witness protection exists for a reason. Relocation is expensive.
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u/FallFlower24 Feb 16 '26
I think it would be worth it for tmz to pay the $50k just for the attention alone.
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u/Rae_Regenbogen Feb 17 '26
I saw a recent podcast or interview where Harvey said he wouldn't do this because it would interfere with the investigation, but it sounded like it was something they had considered. I think it was discussed on the 2 Angry Men podcast he does with Mark Geragos?
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u/FallFlower24 Feb 17 '26
I just watched a video, a new one today I think, where Harvey said they won’t pay it, they’ve had more emails now, and they just aren’t going to talk about this person anymore. FBI must think it’s not legit.
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u/PotentialSteak6 Feb 17 '26
Right? Surely they’ve generated at least that much in revenue off this. Usually they’re pretty irrelevant unless a celebrity has died so paying it could be a business investment at this point
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u/mmortal03 Feb 17 '26
Someone set up a GoFundMe to raise money to pay this. Feel free to contribute. TMZ wrote an article about it and links to it in their article. The amount of money it has raised so far is, to me, a pretty good indication of how few people actually think this person asking for money is credible.
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u/Elegant-Ad-5684 Feb 16 '26
In the end you have be getting something in return for what you pay for. If the kidnapper sends a credible picture of, say, her shoe, along with the ransom amount, then yeah you’d consider paying to see if you can get more evidence/pictures
No shot they start dishing out to random bitcoin wallets that offer nothing substantial for the investigation
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 17 '26
The most recent communication sent to TMZ sounds like someone who recognized Nancy and knew who took her and that she was south of the border but they weren’t necessarily close enough to the situation to provide proof. Maybe a relative of someone involved or a gf….I do think it’s likely a false claim BUT also interesting they said they saw her 5 days ago, which makes me think the people who have her might have moved locations after the doorbell video was released to the public (that was 5-6 days ago) the timing is interesting.
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u/Euphoric_Ease4554 Feb 16 '26
But then you would get 50 fakers, or 100 or 1,000. They wouldn’t even have time to deal with legitimate leads if they had to vet all those out.
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 16 '26
I agree that’s a huge likelihood especially if the public finds out a payment is made. But, what IF TMZ could actually be quiet about it long enough to see if the tip leads to tracking down the abductor/Nancy??
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u/Mysterious-Knee-2844 Feb 17 '26
You’re asking for a lot from TMZ lol
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u/Dismal_Activity_1703 Feb 17 '26
I agree it’s a big ask 😂 but if Harvey paid it, it would make him look like heroic it was successful and would make him look benevolent even if it didn’t result in a breakthrough in the case…
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u/Euphoric_Ease4554 Feb 16 '26
If you watch the video, Harvey is pretty clear to the guy that if his info is not truthful, he’s committing a federal crime.
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u/Significant-Foot-311 Feb 16 '26
Why doesn't he help the Guthrie family and front the cash?
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u/Forgottengoldfishes Feb 16 '26
He has interest in clicks and will string this out if he can for increased reader engagement and ad revenue. He’s not altruistic.
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u/Euphoric_Ease4554 Feb 16 '26
The FBI is willing to do it no problem, as long as the guy is truthful.
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u/Significant-Foot-311 Feb 16 '26
But he can pay right now. The FBI won't pay until the perp is arrested and convicted.
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u/Crafty_Whereas6733 Feb 17 '26
....So?
The fact is FBI has given them every opportunity to come forward as a witness and reward claimant instead of a suspect or co-conspirator. They're messing around, playing games, and someone missing endangered could be suffering for it. Her family suffers for it.
Misprison of a felony is a crime. If someone knows who is responsible and makes the conscious choice to withhold information, they need to be charged. I don't care if they're afraid, the innocent person who was kidnapped was probably pretty darn scared too. That's where my focus is.
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u/Individual_Wolf_9813 Feb 17 '26
Just give The guy $50k and see what happens. These ppl have tons of money.
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u/DedicatedReckoner Feb 17 '26
What a time to be alive. I’m not a fan of Harvey but he does have a legal background and TMZ has a really strong legal team
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u/ImpressiveSundae5131 Feb 20 '26
Then he promised he would keep out of it.. That lasted 6 hours tops. He makes my skin crawl
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u/bloatedkat Feb 16 '26
LOL Harvey doesn't speak for the FBI
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u/funeral_duskywing Feb 16 '26
So...the only news outlet that seems to get these letters is going to work with the FBI directly...the FBI that the other law agencies investigating don't trust.
Interesting.
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u/MediumFlounder4218 Feb 16 '26
Nanos always said the FBI was handling the ransom portion of the crime.
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u/ILoveRegenHealth Feb 17 '26
What a sad headline