If you ever dreamed of having lunch with accused sexual predator Julian Assange, you’re in luck.
The WikiLeaks founder is auctioning off a meal with him for the charity Arms Around The Child, which provides “safe loving homes for children living in adversity,” according to a description on its Facebook page. You can bid on the item at CharityBuzz.com.
“This is your opportunity to meet and have lunch with one of the most compelling and controversial figures of our time,” the description of the experience reads.
“Over lunch you will discuss global political and security issues,” it continues. “Added Bonus: security tips for your laptop or mobile device, expert advice in geopolitics, privacy and managing an organisation under fire, by Assange.”
The lunch will take place at Ecuador’s embassy in London, where Assange sought refuge in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face rape and sexual molestation allegations. Ecuador has since granted him political asylum, but Assange claims he fears that if he leaves the embassy to catch a flight to Ecuador, he will be arrested by London police and ultimately sent to the United State to face espionage charges for publishing classified American documents — even though the Justice Department has conceded it is unlikely to ever charge Assange with a crime.
Before you bid on the lunch date with Assange, you might want to read the fine print. No members of the media are allowed to participate in the auction and the winner is prohibited from publishing any account of the experience “without express approval of Assange.” The winning bidder can’t bring any electronic equipment “without prior approval,” or take a photograph “without express approval of Assange.”
Though the auction stipulates that the lunch will be “scheduled at a mutually agreed upon date,” chances are any date will work for Assange because, well, where is he going, really?
Bidding currently stands at $5,000, but the estimated value is listed as a whopping $50,000. The auction closes Aug. 28.