Katherine Eban of Conde Nast Portfolio writes that New York Times business reporter Alex Berenson had a scoop literally land in his e-mail inbox when an attorney working for Eli Lilly & Co. sent him confidential information about a settlement instead of to another attorney — who happens to have the same last name.
Eban wrote, “So when the Times‘ Berenson began calling around for comment, and seemed to possess remarkably detailed inside information about the negotiations, Lilly executives were certain the source of the leak was the government. Â Â
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“As it turned out, one of Eli Lilly’s lawyers at Pepper Hamilton in Philadelphia wanted to email Sidley Austin’s Berenson, about the negotiations. But apparently, the name that popped up from her email correspondents was the wrong Berenson.
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“Alex Berenson logged on to find an internal ‘very comprehensive document’ about the negotiations, the consultant said, and on January 30, Berenson’s article, “Lilly in Settlement Talks With U.S.” appeared on the Times‘ website. A similar article followed the next day on the front page of the New York Times.”
Read more here.
