Dan Wootton: New details reveal GB News presenter’s motive for catfishing former colleagues

Since 17 July, former The Sun employee Dan Wootton has been at the heart of an explosive scandal. It was first revealed by his ex-partner, Alex Truby on Twitter which was followed by a series of articles from independent publications Byline Times.

The allegations against the TV presenter are about catfishing former colleagues by creating aliases such as 'Martin Branning.' According to Byline, 'Martin Branning' was set up to get explicit videos of his colleagues without always getting their consent. It was also revealed that while he worked at The Sun, Dan Wootton was 'bullying' and 'harassing' co-workers. Finally, so far, we have learnt that this alleged misconduct lasted for ten years.

Their newest article, which they released in the evening of 26 July 2023, focuses on how Dan Wootton accessed money in order to pay for the production of explicit content. It also gives insight into Dan Wootton's possible motive. In this article we will also look at who Wootton paid and, heads up, it’s no longer just about his former colleagues or the victim that came forward on 25 July.

Dan Wootton impersonations

In the newest Byline article we learn that Dan Wootton ‘rented’ Facebook profiles of male porn stars in order to catfish people. According to the article, Wootton rented those profiles for ‘£500 a time.’ While he had control of the profiles, Wootton would then pose as the porn stars and trick men into meeting with the stars.

One of the porn stars explains:

Dan used to pay us anywhere between £300 and £500 to use our Facebooks. I didn’t know these people he was messaging. It was all males. He was messaging [as] ‘me’ basically.

According to the same source, Dan Wootton would delete the messages once the meeting was set, therefore destroying evidence.

The porn star continues to explain:

He paid me to use my Facebook account. I still had access to it as well but I gave him my password. And then when I felt he’d had enough [time], I’d change my password.

The porn star continues his testimony by saying that once Dan Wootton had set up the meeting he would reach out to them and give him instructions as to what was expected. According to the testimony, Wootton wanted footage of ‘people having sex.’

Read more: Dan Wootton's scandal bigger than Schofield and Edwards' as shocking new details revealed

Dan Wootton’s motive

Something that really shines through in the newest article from Byline is the fact that we finally get a glimpse into what could be the GB News presenter’s motive.

Indeed, through the interviews they conducted with the porn stars supposedly paid by Wootton, we can see a picture of the situation building.

According to the porn stars interviewed by Byline, we understand that the motive behind Wootton's alleged actions, was to get 'one up' on his co-workers and more specifically to get 'compromising material' of them including videos depicting intercourse.

One interviewee says:

These people we used to meet, I don’t know who they were. I think they were from Dan’s circle, and [the films] were [an attempt] to get one-up [on them].

They continue:

I can’t say for certain but I think it was to get [compromising material] on people… That is my belief.

Without knowing for certain what Dan Wootton could gain from this, we know that this was happening while he held a senior position at The Sun. While these testimonies offer a peek into the psychology behind such actions, we are left with even more questions. In the words of one of the porn stars:

Why else would you want someone filmed without their knowledge and be so adamant you want it filmed?

In a previous instalment, published by Byline on 20 July, we learn from a source, that Dan Wootton 'continually tried to make people admit they were bisexual or gay.' Sources reveal that this pattern of behaviour was ongoing while he worked at The Sun.

They say:

He was pressurising them to turn [gay] and acting like it was a joke but people – men, women, everyone who heard – were visibly uncomfortable especially as it was coming from a boss.

Dan Wootton did not use his own money

The article, and investigation overall, is filled with a lot of striking, if not shocking, details, the newest article reveals something else which adds even more layers to the scandal.

Indeed, we learn that, allegedly, Dan Wootton paid the porn stars as well as the hotel rooms not with his own money but with money from The Sun.

In an email, revealed by the independent publication, we see clearly that Wootton would be the organiser of everything, booking rooms himself and making payments.

According to Byline, Wootton registered one of the porn stars as a ‘new payee’ on its ‘contributor payments system.’ Moreover, they reveal an email sent to Dan Wootton’s email address pretending to ask for payment regarding a source commenting on the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial.

The email says:

I need [the second entertainer] set up as a new payee please. He needs to put down for 1500 urgently on the Amber Heard splash [page one story, also on pages] 4/5 from last week. Thanks, Dan.

It is also revealed that Wootton booked a room with another company’s money, Orange.

Dan Woottton, The Sun, Mail Online and GB News have not commented on these allegations. All we know is that The Sun and Mail Online are conducting internal investigations and that GB News is keeping Dan Wootton on air amid the revelations.

Read more:

⋙ Dan Wootton caught in scandal: Here's what the GB News host is worth

⋙ Dan Wootton: This could be the real reason why tabloids are not focusing on his scandal

Sources:

Byline Times: Dan Wootton Paid Porn Stars with Sun’s Depp Money for Covert Catfish Sex Videos

Byline Times: Dan Wootton was a ‘Serial Bully’ at the Sun – But Bosses Promoted Him as Complaints were Silenced

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