Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has actually released e-mails presumably from the National Enquirer that information images the tabloid threatened to release.
Jim Watson/ AFP/GettyImages
Jeff Bezos declared Thursday that “top people” at the National Enquirer attempted to blackmail him by threatening to release naked images unless the Amazon chief ended an examination into how the publication gotten text in between him and his sweetheart.
In an extremely individual post, Bezos stated the publication today threatened to release intimate images of him and Lauren Sanchez, a previous home entertainment TELEVISION host with whom Bezos was connected romantically throughout his marital relationship. Bezos’ post consists of e-mail exchanges that he stated show an extortion plot versus him.
“Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten,” Bezos stated in the post, that includes e-mails presumably from National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc.
On Friday early morning, American Media stated in a declaration that it will examine Bezos’ claims.
“Upon completion of that investigation, the Board will take whatever appropriate action is necessary,” the declaration stated.
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Jeff Bezos stares down nude photo ‘blackmail’ attempts…
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In the emails, sent to an attorney for a Bezos security consultant, an AMI executive threatened to publish the photos unless Bezos made false statements that AMI was never “politically motivated or influenced by political forces,” according to the blog post.
The Amazon’s CEO notes that David Pecker, CEO of American Media, recently struck an immunity deal with the Justice Department to reveal President Donald Trump’s role in hush-money agreements with women ahead of the 2016 US election.
AMI admitted in December to “working in concert” with the Trump campaign to pay off a woman who accused Trump of having an affair with her in order to quash the story.
Last month, the National Enquirer was the first to print details of Bezos’ affair with Sanchez, which led to the dissolution of Bezos’ 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Bezos.
According to one email, the photos include “a naked selfie [of Bezos] in a restroom– while using a wedding event ring” and a “glimpse” of Sanchez’s “nether region,” to name a few.
“Well, that [email] got my attention. But not in the method they likely hoped. Any individual humiliation AMI might trigger me takes a rear seats due to the fact that there’s a a lot more concern included here. If in my position I can’t withstand this sort of extortion, the number of individuals can?” Bezos stated.
The post comes in the middle of continuous stress in between Bezos and Trump, with the president commonly viewed as targeting Amazon due to the fact that Bezos likewise owns The Washington Post, which has actually reported seriously on the president. In April 2018, Trump bought an examination of the United States Postal Service’s financial resources, after weeks of implicating Amazon of not paying its reasonable share of postage.
The post comes as concerns are currently swirling about how Bezos’ divorce might impact Amazon If reports that he has no prenuptial contract hold true, his better half might wind up with half his fortune and half his ownership inAmazon Potential blackmail from the very same publication that initially reported on Bezos’ affair includes a brand-new layer of scandal and develops more issues for Bezos.
First releasedFeb 7 at 3: 50 p.m. PT
Update,Feb 7 at 5: 58 p.m. PT andFeb 8 at 6: 25 a.m.PT: Adds context and AMI declaration.
Correction,Feb 7 at 4: 35 p.m. PT: Clarifies that AMI’s e-mails weren’t to Bezos straight.
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