Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Pens Blog Post Alleging Blackmail By National Enquirer's Parent Company

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (image via Flickr/JD Lasica)

Last night, Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos took to Medium to tell the world that the parent company for the National Enquirer, American Media Inc.,  had threatened to blackmail him by releasing embarrassing photos and text messages of Bezos.

Not only did he address the alleged threat head on, he published the threatening emails in full.

Just a taste from Bezos via Medium:

Something unusual happened to me yesterday. Actually, for me it wasn’t just unusual — it was a first. I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse. Or at least that’s what the top people at the National Enquirer thought. I’m glad they thought that, because it emboldened them to put it all in writing. 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.

Any personal embarrassment AMI could cause me takes a back seat because there’s a much more important matter involved here. If in my position I can’t stand up to this kind of extortion, how many people can? (On that point, numerous people have contacted our investigation team about their similar experiences with AMI, and how they needed to capitulate because, for example, their livelihoods were at stake.)

In the AMI letters I’m making public, you will see the precise details of their extortionate proposal: They will publish the personal photos unless Gavin de Becker and I make the specific false public statement to the press that we “have no knowledge or basis for suggesting that AMI’s coverage was politically motivated or influenced by political forces.”

One of the photos listed in the threats is described as “a shirtless Mr. Bezos holding his phone in his left hand — while wearing his wedding ring."

It goes on to mention that the wealthiest man in the world is "wearing either tight black cargo pants or shorts — and his semi-erect manhood is penetrating the zipper of said garment.”

AMI says it 'acted lawfully' but will investigate the issue.

Right.

Of course, AMI has admitted to paying one of Donald Trump's mistresses for her story in a 'catch and kill' move to make sure it never saw the light of day as the CEO of AMI, David Pecker, is a longtime fan of the Donald who hates Bezos.

Go read the entire post by Bezos. It's worth the read.