NBC News Pays for David and Sean Goldman Charter Flight to U.S.

Bruna Bianchi (8/15/1974} is the wife of David Goldman and mother of Sean Richard Goldman. Bruna has a Masters Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing and comes from Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Both she and David enjoy the outdoors and traveling. summer 2002 Bruna, Sean, and her friend Fabiana. Both women are from Brazil.

By Chris Ariens on Dec 24, 2009 11:45 AM

NBC News has paid for a chartered flight from Brazil to the United States carrying David Goldman and his 9-year-old son, Sean. David Goldman has been fighting for 5 years to get custody of his son who was taken to Brazil by his mother in 2004.

In addition to David and Sean Goldman, NBC News correspondent Jeff Rossen is also on board. Rossen flew to Brazil, commercially, earlier this week as the story was heading toward a climax.

In a one-line statement, NBC News spokesperson Lauren Kapp tells TVNewser, "The Goldmans were invited on a jet NBC News chartered to fly home to the US."

With tomorrow being Christmas, any exclusive video and interviews will most likely be held for the "Today" show on Monday. This also gives NBC an opportunity to promote the story throughout the weekend. NBC News has been covering the custody battle for nearly a year when David Goldman first appeared on Dateline on Jan. 30.

It's not uncommon for networks to pay for the flights and hotel stays of guests when they appear in studio in New York, but this will once again, raise questions about networks paying for news, especially an emotionally charged story centered on a 9-year-old boy.

The 10-hour flight left Rio this morning about 3 hours after David and Sean were reunited at the U.S. consulate amid a scrum of television and still photographers. [A network insider tells us this could have been avoided by using the back entrance to the consulate.]

TVNewser reached out to a charter company to see how much a flight from Rio de Janeiro to New York would cost. A "heavy jet" which could carry 7-8 people on short notice would run between $50,000 to $70,000.

The Gulfstream G-IV NBC News chartered is registered to a Manhattan-based LLC.

• Click continued to see the "Today" show clip from outside the consulate this morning...

• Update: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) who had been with David Goldman awaiting the reunion, said he was unable to travel with the two on the flight because the plane had been chartered by NBC and therefore he was prohibited from doing so under congressional rules.

• Update: The flight landed in Orlando around 6pmET, in time for Rossen to front a live shot from airport for "Nightly News" which included an on board interview with David Goldman. In his story, Rossen said, "The Goldmans were invited on a jet NBC News chartered to fly back to the U.S."

(AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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fabius2000 13 hours ago

I am Brazilian. I´ve read most comments on Brazilian websites on this case. I can surely tell you that 99% of us fell relieved and happy with this outcome. The Lins e Silva are an extremely prominent, rich and powerful family in Rio de Janeiro.
What is stricking in this case is that sptepfather João Paulo Lins e Silva is a lawyer specialized in family right. Guess what? São Paulo newspaper Folha de São Paulo repported a few months ago that his bureau gives support to at least one foreing parent trying to reunite with his "abducted" child. Just as for David Goldman.

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Lupen 8 hours ago

Eu tambem sou brasileira. E acho muito errado vc escrever 99% dos brasileiros. Por um acaso vc faz parte da data folha a algum centro de pesquisa para afirmar isso? Vou te dizer uma coisa: nenhuma mulher abandona o marido de graca. Sou casada com americano, moro nos EUA e te digo o que exatamente disse p/ o meu marido. Se ele fizesse qualquer coisa comigo que me deixasse com medo de perder meu filho eu faria a mesma coisa. Pq o amor de mae e maior do que qualquer outro amor possivel. E essa coitada nao esta viva pra se defender contra esses comentarios horriveis sobre ela. E voltando aos 99% dos brasileiros eu ate agora nao falei com um que esteja a favor do que esta acontecendo. Esse David esta vendendo o filho dele. Segunda feira sera uma reportagem de duas horas na tv, daqui uns meses sera um livro e depois um filme. Uma historia montada para virar "Best Seller". E muita hipocrisia.

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  manfernandes 1 day ago
  Want to see genuine emotion? Do a search for an interview that happened yesterday (Christmas day) on the Brazilian network TV GLOBO on their prime time journalism. We learned first that NBC or Goldman's lawyer forced all networks to show their entire interview (as if it could be manipulated somehow). Still photos of the kid smiling, his father complaining about being tired... etc. After that they showed an interview with the Brazilian family in tears. They have not heard from David or Sean during Christmas. Remember his father was welcome to Brazil and to see Sean anytime. More on.... Sean's uncle revealed.... When Sean was told by his stepfather they had lost the battle but they did everything they could, Sean cried.... but I DO NOT WANT TO GO. To which his stepfather said: it's the law. Sorry. Then the kid replied: I lost my mother, now I am loosing my entire family. Why are they doing this to me? /// That really is the meaning of all this. David can not understand love the way Brazilian love is. It is not about going to Disney World on a charter flight. Love is something one can not buy. Sean should decide what he wants now. It does not matter anymore whether his mother made a mistake in the past. He just doesn't deserve to go through an ordeal all over again. He should have stayed and David should visit him and call him all the time. His childhood would be much better in Brazil. When he turns 18, then he could come to the US if he wished for. Trust me, the kid will be sad and traumatized... and he will ask his father to return to where he understands is he home now. This is likely to
  
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2 days ago This is all about money. Bruna is not alive to defend herself against the gold-digger David. It is very easy for him now to say all those things against the family in Brazil. The Americans just know one side of the history. Do you know about David asking $500,000.00 to Sean’s Brazilian grandparents to take their name out of the law process? The final amount came down to $150,000.00 plus the foundation plus NBC support… Again is all about money. And what will be next? Special show about the case on NBC after Christmas; Write a book and a produce a movie about David bring Sean back home. This boy now is far from his little sister and his family in Brasil. All about money… All about politics. What a shame.

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