The original source for the sensational story came from a TMZ video, and was subsequently picked up by news sites worldwide, from the Huffington Post to Digital Journal. The story said that Meeks — arrested recently for felony weapons possession after a sweep in Stockton, Calif. — inked a contract with Blaze Modelz, which would net him about $30,000 per month.
It took little time for the truth of the story to collapse — Luke O’Neil of Bullett simply called Gina Rodriguez, Meeks’ talent agent, and asked if the contract was real. A representative from Rodriguez’s company told O’Neil, “We haven’t even talked to Blaze Management at all.” She added that Meeks has not signed to any agency, but that there were talks with White Cross Productions.
A White Cross representative denied that any talks were happening.
Gawker added that there was also no mention in the original TMZ video of the $30,000-per-month figure. That figure appears to have come from a different TMZ article from June 23 which said that he could make $30,000.