3 ms·

The possible reasons I have heard are: 1. This has always worked before with other CEOs they have blackmailed. 2. There is something big going on with the Saudi

The possible reasons I have heard are: 1. This has always worked before with other CEOs they have blackmailed. 2. There is something big going on with the Saudis or Trump and if that gets discovered everyone at AMI is going to jail and this was a Hail Mary attempt to avoid that.

breatheoften 8y ago
I think they had to have been lured into it — suppose Bezos allowed them to intercept some fake communications wherein Bezos makes it looks like he’s terrified of losing half his fortune over something related to the scandal and his wife’s leverage — and suppose that he did so to trick them into thinking they have leverage that he is likely to cave to so that they would attack via illegal means ... The fact that they haven’t attacked him at all in the press makes me think that they are shitting bricks and that they really didn’t think he would publicly expose them.
joezydeco 8y ago
I came here to say the same thing. Bezos pointed at the Saudis directly in his Medium post. It probably started with WaPo looking into the Kashoggi murder on their own, but this mystery AMI magazine promoting MBS is another point on the trail. Bezos is probably really close to getting all of AMI indicted on treason charges and that's the value being exchanged in a possible extortion charge.
- gamblor956 8y ago
  really close to getting all of AMI indicted on treason charges and that's the value being exchanged in a possible extortion charge AMI can't be indicted on treason charges for two reasons: (1) it's not illegal to do business with the Saudis, who are technically our allies despite having funded 9/11, Al Qaeda, and numerous other terrorist groups worldwide, and (2) treason requires us to be in a declared state of war with Saudi Arabia, which we are not. There are other potential charges that might be at play but unfortunately treason isn't one of them.
dragonwriter 8y ago
> This has always worked before with other CEOs they have blackmailed They may not have ususlly targeted CEOs before; the other report I've seen recently is from a reporter. I would guess they look for whoever is the weak link in the chain of responsibility for an unwelcome story, and often both sufficient ability to avoid the problem they seek to avoid and sufficient vulnerability to provide leverage exists somewhere below the CEO level.

breatheoften 8y ago

I think they had to have been lured into it — suppose Bezos allowed them to intercept some fake communications wherein Bezos makes it looks like he’s terrified of losing half his fortune over something related to the scandal and his wife’s leverage — and suppose that he did so to trick them into thinking they have leverage that he is likely to cave to so that they would attack via illegal means ... The fact that they haven’t attacked him at all in the press makes me think that they are shitting bricks and that they really didn’t think he would publicly expose them.

joezydeco 8y ago

I came here to say the same thing. Bezos pointed at the Saudis directly in his Medium post. It probably started with WaPo looking into the Kashoggi murder on their own, but this mystery AMI magazine promoting MBS is another point on the trail. Bezos is probably really close to getting all of AMI indicted on treason charges and that's the value being exchanged in a possible extortion charge.

gamblor956 8y ago
really close to getting all of AMI indicted on treason charges and that's the value being exchanged in a possible extortion charge AMI can't be indicted on treason charges for two reasons: (1) it's not illegal to do business with the Saudis, who are technically our allies despite having funded 9/11, Al Qaeda, and numerous other terrorist groups worldwide, and (2) treason requires us to be in a declared state of war with Saudi Arabia, which we are not. There are other potential charges that might be at play but unfortunately treason isn't one of them.

dragonwriter 8y ago

> This has always worked before with other CEOs they have blackmailed They may not have ususlly targeted CEOs before; the other report I've seen recently is from a reporter. I would guess they look for whoever is the weak link in the chain of responsibility for an unwelcome story, and often both sufficient ability to avoid the problem they seek to avoid and sufficient vulnerability to provide leverage exists somewhere below the CEO level.