LONDON — Allegations of Cover-Up in Murdoch Tabloid Scandal

Attorneys representing Prince Harry and several prominent U.K. politicians have accused Will Lewis, the chief executive of the Washington Post, of fabricating a story 13 years ago to conceal evidence of potential criminal activities at Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloids, now known as News UK. The company has firmly denied these allegations, which involve claims of privacy invasion and corporate espionage against various high-profile individuals, including crime victims, celebrities, and politicians. The controversy dates back to July 2011, when police discovered that emails had been deleted from Murdoch’s company. Lewis claimed that the deletions were prompted by a tip-off regarding a conspiracy involving former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and a News UK employee, allegedly aimed at stealing the CEO's emails. The informant was suggested to be Tom Watson, a vocal critic of the Murdoch empire, raising questions about the integrity of the company's actions during an ongoing police investigation. Lewis's leadership at the Washington Post has come under scrutiny, particularly following revelations that he pressured NPR and his former newsroom editor to avoid reporting on the hacking cases linked to News UK. In court, it was revealed that Lewis was aware of a warning regarding potential data theft but provided minimal details about the source of this information, which was said to be a trusted police contact. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, News UK continues to assert that they are unfounded and part of ongoing legal battles against the company. The situation remains fluid as investigations continue and further details emerge.