This post is a summary of two reports: the first with the title above, with the complement of "cashpool to $ 156 million". Published at Hollywoodreporter.com on December 29, 2011 and written by Stuart Kemp. The second, with the title" Rupert Murdoch pays compensation to 37 victims of phone-hacking." was published at Thedailybeast.com on January 19, 2012 and was written by Charlotte Edwardes.
News corporation has pumped up its legal war chest to $156 million to use to settle civil litigation cases brought in the phone-hacking scandal. Some settlements are expected to be well over $1.5 million apiece, citing sources close to the actions.
Actress Siena Miller became first person to agree an out-of-court settlement with News of the World, accepting $156,000 in compensation for having her phone message illegally accessed in May. News International set up a compensation scheme for phone-hacking victims. Applicants are being offered the opportunity to pursue compensation. "As a speedy, cost-effective alternative to litigation." And can expect to "obtain very similar remedies" as they would expect to receive in court, News International claims.
Rupert Murdoch`s media empire face a possible 10 million pounds compensation bill, it emerged today, after the high court in London heard that 37 victims have settled damage claims with Murdoch`s company for illegally intercepting their phones. The list of claimants includes politicians, singers, actors, etc. Among them is actor Jude Law, who was awarded $200,000. Jude Law`s assistant was awarded settlements, as was his ex-wife Sadie Frost, who received $120,000. She listened to the intercepted voice messages between 2005 and 2006 last April, News International set up a compensation fund of $30 million with the sole intention of settling claims before they got to court.
Jude Law said, "for several years leading up to 2006, I was suspicious about how information concerning my private life was coming out in the press. I changed my phones. I had my house swept for bugs, but still the information kept being published. I started to become distrustful of people close to me.
News International has already paid out $3 million to the family of the murdered scholl girl Milly Dowler. Tamish Allen, a lawyer, said "the claimants now have some clarity about what happened to them between 2000 and 2005 and satisfaction that justice has finally been done. Many of them have wondered for years how newspapers were able to obtain secret personal information about them.
Phone-hacking - to gain unauthorized access.
War chest - money scheduled for a particular purpose.
Set Up - to arrange, be given a particular direction.
Litigation - the act of bringing a legal action in court.
