Seven journalist Mike Willesss said the suggestion she had been paid $2 million or more was "false"

12th February 2014
ABC

Mike Willesse speaks to media outside resort

Channel Seven journalist Mike Willesee has labelled as "way silly" claims that his employer secured a multimillion-dollar deal with Schapelle Corby, who was released on parole from an Indonesian jail yesterday.

According to several media reports, Channel Seven will pay up to $3 million for exclusive rights to the 36-year-old convicted drug smuggler's story.

The network has also reportedly paid for Corby to stay in the luxury Sentosa Seminyak resort in Bali, where Willesee is also staying.

Corby arrived at the resort on Monday after being released from Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison, where she served nine years of a 20-year sentence.

While not denying a deal had been done with Corby, Willesee said the suggestion she had been paid $2 million or more was "false".

"I don't know what the figure is, but I know that's crazy," he told media outside the Sentosa complex.
"It's not up there at all.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but all I know is the published figures are way silly. They're false."