7 News Belize

Four Claim They Lied For Money On McAfee Documentary
posted (September 22, 2016)
On Saturday night, SHOWTIME is airing a documentary about John McAfee - who made international headlines for his outlaw lifestyle in Belize. He's been the subject of all types of US news reports and special features investigating the death of his American neighbor on San Pedro, Greg Faull - but the new documentary is the first extensive study of McAfee's life and times in Belize, and is expected to make strong claims about Mcafee's alleged connection to the Faull murder. For the past week, McAfee has been blasting the documentary on social media, and, now, four Belizeans who participated in building that narrative for the documentary film-makers and recanting their statements. They say they lied, or were induced to lie by the film's producer Nanette Burstein. They've gotten attorney Bryan Neal to write the producers and tell them not to air any portion of the film showing their interviews - and today in Belize City they held a press conference to tell the media why they lied about McAfee in their interviews:...

Bryan Neal, Attorney for Showtime Documentary Subjects
"My 4 clients who are named in the press release are here today to give their side of their story to say that certain producers named in the press release came to Belize, manipulated them, got information from them under false pretenses, forced them to sign documents. In certain cases, gave them alcohol, and payment to say bad things about John McAfee and also we are making a request as I have written to ShowTime and the producers to ask them to refrain from sharing any images attributable to my clients. We have indicated to them that if they go ahead and publish it, we will retain attorneys in the United States to pursue our case."

Tyrone Morales, Says He Lied in Documentary
"I met Ms. Nanette and she came over in my village after I received a couple phone calls from her telling me that she wants to do an interview with me. Eventually when I reached to her, she set up my mind. I would say she was using her woman skills to get me into this interview here. She knows what she's doing, so she eventually got me to do the interview. After the interview she gave me $5,000 total BZ. She also made me sign a paper that I tried to read but the words were too small, I couldn't read it."

Cassian Chavarria, Says He Took 12.5K and Lied
"I asked what were they offering for the interview and they asked what I wanted, so I said about $30,000 BZ and she said 'no I can't make a decision on that, I would have to talk to my superiors'. So I said 'okay go ahead and tell them'. She came back about 3 hours after and said that she's ready to give me $10,000 BZ, but then what happened is that the more I was talking, the more I had this hook in her. When I looked at my watch I saw that 30-35 minutes was already up because I did specify to her it was only going to be 30 minutes, take it or leave it. she told me, 'sir you know what give me another 15 minutes, let's make it up to an hour and I will give you $2,500 more and I agreed, that was the end of it. she gave me and then she gave me 5 or 6 pages of a document to sign, I guess it was the release but I couldn't read it, I'm already using glasses and my room has lights but it's not bright. In fact, bottom line I didn't even bother reading it because she was already showing me this pack of probably $12,500 and I just wanted to hold that in my hands and let them get out of the place. Certain things I said were outright lies, but I tied it in with certain truths to make it more plausible, credible "I want more," it's like when your reading a good book and you want to get to the bottom of this thing. Seeing that she had already made that offer of $10,000 and I said I'm just going to give her something."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"So then if you agreed and accept that, you have lied for money, why should we believe you now and not thing that maybe Mr. McAfee is sending you money to counter lie?"

Cassian Chavarria, Says He Took 12.5K and Lied
"Okay that is not possible because it's a matter of me feeling betrayal on my part to John."

Reporter
"Betrayal because you spoke the truth?"

Cassian Chavarria, Says He Took 12.5K and Lied
"No, like I said, betrayal because of the lies that I made up to earn the money. Can you imagine what Denys Barrow said, he made a thousand dollars per hour. I was making like 300-400 a minute, can you imagine that? Why shouldn't I take it?"

Zaira Majil, Says She Was Paid/Pressured by Producers
"She was trying to make me say lies that John killed the man and so forth. When the interview finished, she paid me $800 US in $10."

Reporter
"What was the content of your conversation? What kind of questions was she asking?"

Zaira Majil, Says She Was Paid/Pressured by Producers
"She was only on one basic question, if I know if John McAfee killed the white gringo. That was basically it."

Reporter
"Did you sign a release as well? Did you take time out to actually read or did she actually explain to you what that release would constitute?"

Zaira Majil, Says She Was Paid/Pressured by Producers
"She was in a hurry like she had to go interview someone else, so she didn't give me time to read the papers. She just hurry paid me and said 'please sign this paper and you can leave'."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Are you being paid to make your statement here today?"

Zaira Majil, Says She Was Paid/Pressured by Producers
"No, I came here to tell the truth and only the truth, but no one paid me to do this. We came together, spoke as a group to do this."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"You realize that your clients don't have a position of optimal credibility, because they've all admitted that they lied for money? Why should anyone take them seriously and believe them now?"

Bryan Neal, Attorney for Showtime Documentary Subjects
"Well that is my point to ShowTime, now that they're saying this, take them out of the documentary, their story cannot assist you in anyway. Take them out, that's all we're asking for."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Sir have you been retained in this matter by Mr. McAfee or agents acting on his behalf?"

Bryan Neal, Attorney for Showtime Documentary Subjects
"I wish, I don't know John McAfee, I have never met him and he is not paying me to represent these people, no."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Are you at liberty to say who is paying?"

Bryan Neal, Attorney for Showtime Documentary Subjects
"They are paying me, they have come together and come to a private arrangement."

We did email the producer in question Nanette Burstein for comment today and we received a brief comment from Showtime Networks saying, quote, "Showtime Documentary Films does not pay subjects for their interviews. We fully support Gringo's filmmaker Nanette Burstein and applaud the bravery of those interviewed in the film." End quote. That basically means that, as expected no interviews will be removed, and today's press conference was most likely just a tactic to muddy the waters. "Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee air on Showtime on Saturday night at 7:00.

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