Adam Aron, meme inventory CEO of AMC, despatched sexually specific photographs in textual content conversations with a lady who tried to blackmail and extort him out of tons of of 1000’s of {dollars}, as first reported by Semafor Thursday.
The plot came about over a number of weeks of textual content messages between Aron and the girl, Sakoya Blackwood. Blackwood assumed a number of false identities, together with that of a former romantic accomplice to Aron, to solicit specific images from the CEO earlier than threatening to publicly launch them unless she received $300,000.
The case was first reported final July however masked Aron’s identification, referring to him solely as a CEO of a publicly traded firm. Aron confirmed that he was the sufferer of the plot in a put up to X, previously Twitter, on Thursday.
“By definition, I reside my life within the public eye. Sadly, final yr I grew to become the sufferer of an elaborate felony extortion by a 3rd get together who was unknown to me associated to false allegations about my private life,” Aron wrote. “Moderately than give in to blackmail, I personally engaged counsel and different skilled advisors and reported the matter to legislation enforcement. I did so figuring out I risked private embarrassment. However with my entry to assets, if I didn’t rise up in opposition to blackmail, who might?”
Blackwood was sentenced in July to time already served.
In early 2021, retail traders on r/WallStreetBets blew up GameStop’s inventory costs to over $300 per share. This GameStop craze impressed traders to seek out different failing shares like Blackberry. AMC was one among these meme inventory corporations that leaned into the hype, going as far as offering free popcorn to meme stonk traders on the time.