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On Friday, @iarnsdorf and I broke the news that T. Denny Sanford, South Dakota’s richest man and a big donor to children’s charities and Republican causes, was being investigated for possible possession of child pornography.
Here’s what we know and how to help us find out more.
Here’s what we know and how to help us find out more.
Sanford’s lawyer said after our story ran that “authorities responsible for investigating allegations obviously did not find information or evidence that supported or resulted in any criminal charges.” This is our story, but much is still unknown... https://www.propublica.org/article/billionaire-t-denny-sanford-was-under-investigation-for-child-pornography
For example, it’s not clear how aggressively the case is being investigated now, since state investigators referred the matter to DOJ, two people told us.
Sanford is a towering figure in South Dakota and across the county, and is connected to many powerful figures.
He was recently named one of the country’s top 10 philanthropists, just behind Bill and Melinda Gates. Academic and research institutions are named after him, as is a major hospital system.
Sanford’s lawyer is the former attorney general and U.S. Attorney for South Dakota. Another Sanford lawyer and close friend is the former state senate majority leader.
John Thune, the #2 Republican in the Senate, has publicly praised him in the past and accepted his political donations. Thune’s office declined to answer questions.
Thune’s wife works for Sanford Health. A woman who picked up her phone hung up on me when I called to ask about whether she knew about the investigation.
Some have distanced themselves from Sanford since the news broke. National University, which Sanford has donated millions to and which was planning to rename itself in his honor, announced it was holding off on those plans. https://www.nusystem.org/news/renaming-update-from-nus/
And the CEO of Sanford Health, the country’s largest rural hospital system, put out a statement saying “there's nothing more sacred than the innocence of children.”
. @iarnsdorf and I are trying to learn more about how Sanford responded to the investigation, and how it remained secret until Friday. If you know more about the probe - or Sanford’s response to it - get in touch: [email protected] or on Signal/WhatsApp 213-271-7217
