Peter Thiel famously helped bring down Gawker in 2016 by funding a lawsuit, but now a new book says the Silicon valley billionaire was prepared to go much further to destroy his great media nemesis.
In his forthcoming work, “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue,” New York Observer columnist Ryan Holiday said that Thiel — with the help of a mysterious high-priced Australian operative known only as “Mr A.” — plotted a range of nefarious schemes to bring down the company.
“‘It’s almost limitless what one could do,’ Mr. A says, musing on all the theoretical angles of attack they brainstormed in meetings at Thiel’s house and in late-night phone calls. Given the resources he had to draw on, the limitlessness of the options is nearly true: They could have bribed employees at Gawker to leak information, or hired operatives to ruin the company from the inside. They could have directed hackers to break into Gawker’s email servers. Someone could have followed Nick Denton and, while he dined at Balthazar one morning, stolen his cellphone. A team could have attempted to bug the Gawker offices.”
But Holliday reported that Thiel ultimately ruled out any illegal activity — which he lamented was a big limitation.
“There were all these things that you could be tempted to do and it’s not clear they would work any better. So we decided very early on we would only do things that are totally legal, which is a big limitation,” Thiel is quoted as saying in the book.
Thiel’s near-Shakespearean hatred of the company dates from this 2007 article which outed him as gay.
For Gawker’s bankruptcy lawyers, that all adds up to the possibility of launching a “tortious interference” lawsuit against Thiel on the grounds that he intentionally and improperly tried to harm Gawker’s economic interests. Even if unsuccessful the move could potentially thwart Thiel’s plan to buy Gawker.com — something he has suggested he is seriously interested in doing.
It remains unclear how the final sale will ultimately shake out, or whether the new revelation in the Holiday book will have any effect. William Holden, the interim Gawker estate administrator, declined to answer any questions about the Thiel comments. Thiel, through his foundation, did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.
An account of the book’s claims was first published by Lloyd Grove in the Daily Beast.
Hulk Hogan Timeline: From Hulkamania to Gawker Sex Tape Trial (Photos)
Hulk Hogan was born Terry Bolea and attended high school in Tampa, Fla.
Thomas Richard Robinson High School
Hogan broke into the wrestling business in the late 1970's, working under names like Terry Boulder.
WWE
Hogan and his 24-inch pythons ran wild when Hulkamania swept the globe in the 1980's.
WWE
Hogan shocked the world when he bodyslammed the 520-pound Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III.
WWE
Hogan's movie debut was in "Rocky III" as Thunderlips, a wrestler Rocky takes on at a charity event.
MGM
Hogan later starred alongside Christopher Lloyd in "Suburban Commando," one of many critical and commercial bombs Hogan was involved in.
New Line
Hogan admitted to taking steroids while testifying during a federal trial against WWF owner Vince McMahon. Hogan denied McMahon supplied or forced him to take the steroids, resulting in McMahon's acquittal.
WWE
Hogan left WWF and competed in WCW from 1994 to 2000. While there, he teamed with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to form the infamous New World Order.
WWE
Hogan returned to WWF in 2002 and faced off against The Rock at Wrestlemania X8.
WWE
Hogan starred in "Hogan Knows Best," a reality show with his family, from 2005 to 2007. The show was abruptly cancelled after Hogan's wife, Linda Claridge, filed for divorce when she discovered Hogan cheated on her during filming.
VH1
A few months prior to the divorce, Hogan was harshly criticized after his son was sent to jail for reckless driving that left a friend with irreversible brain damage. Tapes released by local police revealed Hogan and his son blaming the victim during a phone call and planning to capitalize on the crash with a reality TV deal.
Clearwater PD
Hogan moved to TNA Wrestling in 2010, immediately becoming a major character in the promotion. He returned to WWE in 2014.
TNA
A clip from a sex tape featuring Hogan and Heather Clem, ex-wife of Bubba The Love Sponge, is published on Gawker in October 2012.
Getty Images
After returning to WWF, now called WWE, in 2014, Hogan was fired in July 2015 after a racist rant from his sex tapes was released by the National Enquirer.
WWE
On March 7, the trial between Hogan and Gawker began. Hogan is suing Gawker for $100 million in damages, accusing the outlet of invasion of privacy.
AP
On March 18, Hogan was awarded $115 million (more than the amount he was seeking) after a ten-day trial and less than a day of deliberation by the jury.
Getty Images
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Hogan’s turbulent career and personal life has put Hulkamania through the wringer
Hulk Hogan was born Terry Bolea and attended high school in Tampa, Fla.