Jeff Bezos accuses National Enquirer of attempting to blackmail him over sexts and photos
In an extraordinary post on Medium, Jeff Bezos has revealed threatening emails he received from attorneys for The National Enquirer, after Bezos refused to call off an investigation into how the paper got access to his private text messages.
"In the AMI [owner of the National Enquirer] letters I'm making public," writes Bezos, "you will see the precise details of their extortionate proposal: They will publish the personal photos unless [my lead investigator] 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.'"
From: Howard, Dylan [dhoward@amilink.com] (Chief Content Officer, AMI)
Sent: Tuesday, February 5, 2019 3:33 PM
To: Martin Singer (litigation counsel for Mr. de Becker)
Subject:. Jeff Bezos & Ms. Lauren Sanchez PhotosCONFIDENTIAL & NOT FOR DISTRIBIUTION
Marty:
I am leaving the office for the night. I will be available on my cell - 917 XXX-XXXX.
However, in the interests of expediating this situation, and with The Washington Post poised to publish unsubstantiated rumors of The National Enquirer's initial report, I wanted to describe to you the photos obtained during our newsgathering.
In addition to the "below the belt selfie - otherwise colloquially known as a 'd*ck pick'" - The Enquirer obtained a further nine images. These include:
Mr. Bezos face selfie at what appears to be a business meeting.
Ms. Sanchez response - a photograph of her smoking a cigar in what appears to be a simulated oral sex scene.
A shirtless Mr. Bezos holding his phone in his left hand - while wearing his wedding ring. He's wearing either tight black cargo pants or shorts - and his semi-erect manhood is penetrating the zipper of said garment.
A full-length body selfie of Mr. Bezos wearing just a pair of tight black boxer-briefs or trunks, with his phone in his left hand - while wearing his wedding ring.
A selfie of Mr. Bezos fully clothed.
A full-length scantily-clad body shot with short trunks.
A naked selfie in a bathroom - while wearing his wedding ring. Mr. Bezos is wearing nothing but a white towel - and the top of his pubic region can be seen.
Ms. Sanchez wearing a plunging red neckline dress revealing her cleavage and a glimpse of her nether region.
Ms. Sanchez wearing a two-piece red bikini with gold detail dress revealing her cleavage.
It would give no editor pleasure to send this email. I hope common sense can prevail - and quickly.
Dylan.
"These communications cement AMI's long-earned reputation for weaponizing journalistic privileges, hiding behind important protections, and ignoring the tenets and purpose of true journalism," writes Bezos. "Of course I don't want personal photos published, but I also won't participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favors, political attacks, and corruption. I prefer to stand up, roll this log over, and see what crawls out."
Bezos's response is actually a textbook example of how to respond to extortion. His consultant, Gavin de Becker, literally did write the textbook - here's the section on extortion from his book "The Gift of Fear": pic.twitter.com/Wt7JDNhBCl
- Leigh Honeywell (@hypatiadotca) February 8, 2019