Nearly three decades have passed since the notorious Hollywood scandal involving the private sex tape of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Now, a man linked to the tape’s distribution is speaking out.
Cort St. George, who was once a consultant at Internet Entertainment Group (IEG), known for its groundbreaking work in online adult content during the late ’90s, has decided to offer his perspective. His story is part of A&E’s documentary series, “Secrets of Celebrity Sex Tapes.”
In his first public comments, St. George expresses regret, explaining that he wants to ‘clear his conscience’ by sharing his experience.
“I know firsthand that Pamela and Tommy made not one dime off that video,” he stated. “They didn’t demand any money, I know they turned down money. They fought so hard against it and it did so much damage in their life.”
Reflecting on his role, he mentioned: “I feel like I’m constantly wanting to clear my conscience even though I had very little to do with the whole thing. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the right time. I feel bad about being involved in it.”
St. George alleges that he sold the infamous tape to IEG’s founder, Seth Warshavsky, in 1997. He had been shown the tape by a friend, who received it from a studio contact.
“I was flabbergasted by what we saw,” he remembered. “I had just started working as a consultant at IEG in Seattle, and I said this guy will probably want this video.”
The tape, which Anderson and Lee recorded during a 1995 trip to Lake Mead, was stolen by discontented workers from a safe in their home. The couple was unaware of the tape’s disappearance until January 1996, by which time it was already circulating clandestinely.
St. George said he brought the tape to Warshavsky and arranged a sale.
“He said yes. I go, let me see if he’ll give us $10,000. I couldn’t really believe that Seth was willing to pay for it,” he recounted.
“Now I know why he was willing to pay for it actually – he just wanted my signature on the dotted line in case the sh** hit the fan, he had somebody to blame.”
IEG’s legal team subsequently sent Anderson and Lee a contract. St. George described it as a ‘limited contract’ intended to secure the tape’s release.
In a previously recorded interview, Anderson explained that she signed the agreement only because of feeling threatened and being on the verge of childbirth.
“The only reason we signed the agreement was [because] it was a week before I was due to give birth and they were making threats to me,” she asserted. “I was very focused on much more important things.”
During a 2023 CBS interview, Anderson shared the impact of the leak: “We were two crazy naked people in love… those tapes were not meant for anybody else to see.
“I was a mother. That saved me. You know, if I wasn’t a mom, I don’t think I would’ve survived,” she reflected.
Despite efforts to halt the video’s distribution, it was eventually streamed online and sold in stores. Anderson and Lee later filed a lawsuit against Warshavsky, ultimately being awarded $740,000 each in a 2001 judgment.
Nevertheless, it is reported that the couple never received the money, as Warshavsky passed away last year.