Jeffrey Wigand
Jeffrey Wigand | |
---|---|
Whistleblower on the tobacco industry | |
Spouse | Hope Elizabeth May |
Website | JeffreyWigand.com |
Jeffrey Stephen Wigand (
He is a former vice president of research and development at Brown & Williamson in Louisville, Kentucky, who worked on the development of reduced-harm cigarettes and in 1996 blew the whistle on tobacco tampering at the company. This was adapted for 1999 film The Insider, with Russell Crowe portraying Wigand.
He currently lectures around the world as an expert witness[clarification needed] and consultant for various tobacco issues.
Early life, military service and education
Wigand was born in New York City and grew up in the
Career
Prior to working for
Tobacco industry whistleblowing
Wigand became nationally known as a
Wigand had begun to work for
Brown & Williamson undertook a concerted effort to discredit Wigand, which included hiring Terry Lenzner's company Investigative Group International, to produce a 500-page dossier on Wigand, which was distributed to the media. The dossier backfired, as news outlets examined the claims in it, finding many claims of misconduct to be unsubstantiated or trivial.[3]
Post-whistleblowing career
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (September 2023) |
Following this he taught physical science, biology, and Japanese at
Wigand no longer teaches high school and instead lectures worldwide to a variety of audiences including children, college, medical and law students, and a diverse group of policy makers. He has consulted with governments throughout the world on tobacco control policies.
Media depictions
He was portrayed by
Personal life
He met his first wife, Linda, in 1970 while attending a judo class.[5]
Wigand is now married to Hope Elizabeth May, an American philosopher, author, and lawyer[6] who is a professor at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where they both now reside.
References
- ^ "Jeffrey Wigand : Education". jeffreywigand.com. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ a b Brenner, Marie (May 1996), "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (PDF), Vanity Fair, archived from the original (PDF) on October 10, 2008, retrieved July 2, 2010
- ^ a b "Tobacco Firm Assails Film's Allegation". Los Angeles Times. October 30, 1999. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ "Jeffrey Wigand : Jeffrey Wigand on 60 Minutes". www.jeffreywigand.com. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ Brenner, Marie. "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- ^ A Very Special Wedding. Cwmemory.com (2008-10-19). Retrieved on 2012-06-03.