The chief executive of AMC Entertainment took to social media Thursday to reveal that he was the victim of an "elaborate criminal extortion" scheme that started in March of last year.
In a lengthy post on X, CEO Adam Aron said there was a "matter" he wanted to share with his supporters involving a woman posing as someone else, who attempted to blackmail him and extort him for money.
"By definition, I live my life in the public eye," Aron wrote in the post. "Unfortunately, last year I became the victim of an elaborate criminal extortion by a third party who was unknown to me related to false allegations about my personal life. Rather than give in to blackmail, I personally engaged counsel and other professional advisors and reported the matter to law enforcement. I did so knowing I risked personal embarrassment. But with my access to resources, if I did not stand up against blackmail, who could?"
Aron explained that investigators and law enforcement officers pursued the extortionist, a woman later identified as Sakoya Blackwood, and that she was ultimately "arrested, convicted of a felony, and [is] spending nearly a year in jail." The woman was sentenced in July, according to court documents.
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Aron and Blackwood began texting in March 2022 when he mistook her for another woman that he shared a previous relationship with, court documents show.
Aron, who has been married in 1987, and Blackwood then exchanged explicit photos and she attempted to flip the private exchange for hush money, legal documents said.
According to Semafor, the woman texted him under a different alias pretending to be a journalist and her ex-boyfriend, again seeking money. Aron did not pay any money to the woman.
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"Throughout my long career, I have successfully led many prominent companies and am proud of my impeccable reputation. In recent years, AMC's millions of retail shareholders have played a central role in my life. Your passion for our company is one of my key motivators in doing all I can to help AMC survive so that eventually we can thrive," Aron wrote Thursday. "Because you are so important to me, there is a matter I want to share with you."
He added: "A vigorous federal criminal investigation ensued which resulted in the extortionist being arrested, convicted of a felony, and spending nearly a year in jail. At the time of the arrest, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York commended my having reported the matter to the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice."
Aron described the conversation and subject of the extortion as "entirely a personal matter," without mentioning the text messages.
"I was asked by law enforcement to keep this matter confidential during their investigation and subsequent court case," the CEO continued. "Shortly after the extortionist's July 2023 sentencing, I informed AMC's Board of Directors which thoroughly reviewed these events with independent outside counsel at WilmerHale. As I said above, this indeed was entirely a personal matter, and the matter is closed. And now, I am reporting this to all of you."
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He concluded: "I could not end this message without again thanking you for your support – as well as emphasizing my extreme gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and to the FBI for their diligent, skillful, and professional handling of this unfortunate matter."
Aron has been the CEO of AMC Theaters since 2015.
