Gawker Wants To Investigate Thiel

Gawker Media has asked a bankruptcy judge for permission to investigate billionaire Peter Thiel, who has admitted to funding litigation that ultimately sank the site. Silicon Valley darling Thiel, a co-funder of PayPal and one of the earliest investors in Facebook, bankrolled Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker over publication of parts of a sex tape. Last year a jury awarded Hogan $140 million in damages, which led Gawker to declare bankruptcy. Now Gawker has filed a discovery motion to look into how Thiel worked with Hollywood attorney Charles Harder to devise the site’s demise. It also hinted that Gawker might pursue legal action against Thiel. “Given the apparent motive of Mr. Thiel to destroy the Debtors by his financial support of (and actual or de facto control regarding claims of) major alleged creditors, the Debtors require discovery,” Gawker wrote in its motion. “For example, the New York Times report of Mr. Thiel’s intent to destroy the Debtors to avenge, inter alia, the Gawker.com’s 2007 publication (of a story about him) raises the possibility that the Debtors have a cause of action for prima facie tort under New York law.”