David Pecker becomes CEO of National Enquirer parent company

David Pecker is stepping down as CEO of parent company National Enquirer, ending a reign that saw the company embroiled in a campaign finance scandal that sent President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer to jail.

Pecker’s company, American Media Inc., is acquired by Accelerate360, a logistics company based in Smyrna, Ga., Whose recent efforts include the delivery of millions of face masks and units of hand sanitizer.

Accelerate did not disclose the terms of the deal in its announcement on Friday. But he said the combined entity would be led by Accelerate CEO David Parry.

Chris Scardino, an 18-year veteran of American Media, has been named president of A360 Media, the New York-based unit that will host former American Media titles, which also include Us Weekly, Life & Style and OK ! Pecker will serve as an “executive advisor” to the company’s A360 Media division, Accelerate said.

Under Pecker, the National Enquirer buried potentially embarrassing stories about Trump and other favorite celebrities for years by buying them the rights and never publishing them. The practice was known as “catch and kill”.

The Associated Press reported that Pecker kept a safe in the Enquirer’s office that contained documents on buried stories, including those involving Trump.

American Media has admitted paying $ 150,000 to keep ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal silent about an alleged affair with Trump to aid his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied an affair.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan agreed in 2018 not to sue American Media in return for its cooperation in a campaign finance investigation. This investigation ultimately led to a three-year prison sentence for former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

Cohen is completing the last two years of a three-year house sentence after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress.