The FBI has honed in on the person it believes is responsible for the leak of the scandalous Tucker Carlson videos — the former Deadspin reporter who broke the story of football star Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend a decade ago — according to The Tampa Bay Times.
The Florida newspaper reported Friday that the FBI searched the home of media consultant Tim Burke, who also worked as The Daily Beast’s director of video in 2018 and 2019, and his wife Lynn Hurtak, who is on the Tampa Bay City Council.
According to The Times, the raid was related to a criminal investigation into a possible “hacking” of unaired footage of Carlson before he was fired from Fox News. Vice Media and Media Matters for America shared the footage, which featured Carlson indulging in sexist and offensive language, such as calling a female executive a “c—t.”
When the raid happened, Burke confirmed to the Times that his name was on the warrant, but said he did not know why the FBI was searching his house. Hurtak said that it was “related to her husband’s work.” He now runs his own firm called Burke Communications.
According to Business Insider, the FBI seized personal and business devices belong to Burke, including a phone and several computers. Burke, through his lawyer, said on Friday he could not comment on the letter after the Times contacted him and read portions of it to him.
The Daily Beast reported on Friday that it had obtained a letter from Tampa Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Trezevant asking Fox News to preserve evidence of possible unauthorized computer access, wire hacks and conspiracy.
The letter did not mention Burke by name, but mentioned an investigation into illegal conduct “by other subjects.” It also notes that Vice News and MMFA are not accused of any wrongdoing, although earlier this month, Fox issued a cease and desist order to prevent MMFA from distributing more leaked footage.
None of the documents in this case have been made public and prosecutors asked a judge Thursday to also seal the probable cause affidavit used to obtain the warrant for Burke’s home, according to The Daily Beast.
