Complex sentence: When confronted by authorities, however, Max cleverly frees himself from any suspicion of wrong-doing, then continues to charm Virginia by saying he now plans on selling his story of survival and rescue to the same press he originally intended to defraud.
Split into simpler sentences: When confronted by authorities, Max cleverly frees himself from any suspicion of wrong-doing. He then continues to charm Virginia by saying he now plans on selling his story of survival and rescue to the very same press he originally intended to defraud.