Shocking new development in the John Edwards cheating scandal – his "money man" has died in Texas!
Wealthy Dallas ex-trial lawyer Fred Baron – national finance chairman for Edwards’ failed presidential campaign – died of complications from cancer on Thursday at age 61.
Baron’s passing was confirmed by family spokesman, Harrison Hickman.
Baron emerged as a key player in the Edwards saga that was exclusively reported by The ENQUIRER during the past year.
After Edwards confessed to an affair with former campaign worker Rielle Hunter and cheating on his cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth, Baron confirmed an ENQUIRER report that he was the secret "money man" behind financial payments to Hunter and to Andrew Young, a married loyal aide of Edwards who claimed to be the father of Hunter’s "love child."
The ENQUIRER has repeatedly reported that Rielle believes that the baby girl – born to Hunter in February – is actually Edwards’ child and and has revealed that the ex-Senator has been using Young as part of his massive "cover up."
As The ENQUIRER reported, Hunter was receiving about $15,000 a month in "hush money," while Young and his family had been receiving about $20,000 a month.
Baron had vehemently denied breaking any laws, and said he was simply helping "two friends and former colleagues rebuild their lives." Baron insisted that the money given to Hunter and Young came from his personal funds and that he did not inform Edwards that he was helping the two.
During his confession to the affair on ABC 20/20 following The ENQUIRER’s
Edwards ambush while visiting his mistress Hunter and their love child at the Beverly Hills Hilton, Edwards claimed he did not know that an individual (being Baron) had been making payments to Hunter and Young.
Baron later helped Hunter settle into a $5.6 million Santa Barbara, Calif., mansion with Young, his wife and their three children. But after clashing with Young’s wife, Cheri, Rielle was relocated into an expensive oceanfront home that’s still being rented for her.
Sources tell The ENQUIRER exclusively that Baron’s death has created a new financial crisis for Edwards, who now needs to determine whether Hunter will receive any additional funding in hu$h money.
WATCH FOR AN EXCLUSIVE ENQUIRER REPORT WITH BOMBSHELL NEW DETAILS IN NEXT WEEK’S PRINT ISSUE OF THE ENQUIRER!
