National Enquirer is on sale after the extortion charges to billionaire Jeff Bezos

The publishing group American media LLC has sold National Enquirer, a Awesome Weekly of 93 Years He published scandals about celebrities before engaging in his own controversy.

After charges of extortion to the billionaire Jeff Bezos this year and a previous scandal over the concealment of committed news from President Donald Trump, American media He announced Wednesday that he would be selling the publication soon. The heavy debt imposes an additional burden on the company and despite its strong presence in supermarket aisles for decades, the circulation of the Enquirer is slipping.

Leon Cooperman, an investor at American Media, said he believed that an anonymous buyer would be interested in the deal.

If this is the case, the sale would ease the pressure on American Media, David Pecker, general manager, and the investors behind the group. Chatham Asset Management is the main owner of the publishing house and two of its executives are part of its board of directors. Cooperman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, said his share is relatively small.

Chatham, led by Anthony Melchiorre, is increasingly disagreeing on Enquirer's information gathering tactics and has led to the sale, according to the Washington Post.

The council of American media He reviewed his company's sensationalist publications, including brands Globe and National Examinerand decided to explore strategic options. This "This will probably lead to its sale in the near future"said the company Wednesday.

"We think that a different owner can better exploit future opportunities with tabloids"said Pecker, who also holds the position of president, in a statement.

The thorough examination also touched Chatham, who had to answer questions regarding the charges against New Jersey. Regulators are also reviewing the company.

The Bezos scandal follows another controversy over the publishing house's relationship with Trump. The company admitted that it had collaborated with the Trump campaign to hide information about the candidate's relationship with women.

Pecker is considered a friend of Trump and Melchiorre has also been linked to the president. When Pecker arrived at the White House in July 2017 for a dinner with Trump, he was accompanied by the head of the hedge fund.

With the sale of Enquirer, American Media would focus on brands dedicated to fitness and lifestyle. In recent years he has acquired Us Weekly and Men's Journal, as well as brands focused on celebrities and teens from Bauer Media.