US federal prosecutors examining Jeff Bezos’ claims of extortion and blackmail by tabloid National Enquirer
- Prosecutors look into whether parent company of the tabloid violated a cooperation agreement with the government
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ accusation the tabloid National Enquirer tried to blackmail him could spell new trouble for the company already at the centre of several scandals, including a hush-money deal involving President Donald Trump.
Prosecutors with the Southern District of New York are investigating the claims and examining an agreement that protected the Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc. (AMI) from criminal charges, said a person familiar with the matter.
Bezos, who owns The Washington Post and is a frequent target of the president’s criticism, said in a blog post on Thursday that AMI threatened to publish nude photos him, which he called blackmail and extortion. The company is known for its controversial business practices and the close relationship between CEO David Pecker and Trump.
Bezos backed up his claims with copies of emails from AMI’s lawyer Jon Fine saying the company would not publish the photos if Bezos announced that AMI’s coverage of him was not “politically motivated”.
Federal prosecutors last year secured AMI’s cooperation in an investigation into payments to two women during the 2016 presidential campaign to prevent them going public with accusations of extramarital affairs with Trump. In return, prosecutors agreed not to bring criminal charges against the company for its role in the scheme. The deal required AMI to “commit no crimes whatsoever”.
Whether Bezos’ claims amount to a criminal offence has the legal community torn. AMI has denied wrongdoing.