Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, told The Sunday Times that he has taken a book deal not because he wants to write a book, but because he needs the money.
“I don’t want to write this book, but I have to,” he said to The Times. “I have already spent £200,000 for legal costs and I need to defend myself and to keep WikiLeaks afloat.”
The Times reported that Assange will receive $800,000 from Alfred A. Knopf for publication rights in the United States and just over $500,000 from Cannongate for publication rights in Britain. The newspaper further reported that, “money from other international markets and serialisation is expected to raise the total to at least £1.1m.”
Assange is currently in London, where he was released on bail. He is being charged with the sexual assault of two women in Sweden. For one of the women, he is being charged with rape.