PA ImagesThe brother of Jeff Bezos’ girlfriend is reportedly suing the multi-billionaire Amazon chief for defamation.
Michael Sanchez, the sibling of Lauren Sanchez, claims Bezos wrongfully accused him of leaking text messages and nude photos that formed part of an exposé in the National Enquirer tabloid.
The material obtained by the publication helped them to reveal Bezos, the world’s richest man, and Sanchez’ affair in 2019, back when he was still married to his ex-wife, MacKenzie.
PA ImagesThe lawsuit was filed on Friday, January 31, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming unspecified damages from Bezos and his longtime security chief Gavin de Becker ‘in an amount appropriate to punish and make an example of defendants’, as per the MailOnline.
Earlier last week, The Wall Street Journal also reported prosecutors have evidence intimate texts were sent from Lauren’s phone to Michael’s phone. The report also claimed Michael received $200,000 from the Enquirer as payment for the leak.
PA ImagesIn the recent filing, Michael outlines that he entered a confidential agreement to ‘cooperate strategically’ with American Media Inc., the Enquirer’s parent company – however, it was to ‘get ahead of the story’ rather than any malicious intent against his sister and Bezos.
He also alleges that, as a result of Bezos’ accusations, his home was raided by the FBI, according to TMZ.
In a statement, Lauren said, via Bloomberg:
Michael is my older brother. He secretly provided my most personal information to the National Enquirer – a deep and unforgivable betrayal. My family is hurting over this new baseless and untrue lawsuit, and we truly hope my brother finds peace.
The investigation has blossomed into a potential international conspiracy, with investigators indicating that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could have been complicit in the Bezos leak. Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement, and The Wall Street Journal report didn’t allude to the country whatsoever.
PA ImagesThe Enquirer has since claimed that Michael was the primary source, as per The Wall Street Journal. A spokesman for American Media said: ‘In September of 2018, Michael Sanchez began providing all materials and information to our reporters.’ They added that any suggestion indicating Saudi Arabia was involved is false.
Michael denied the outlet’s allegations, writing in an email: ‘With spoon-fed lies and half-truths, Wall Street Journal keeps getting it wrong.’ Bezos has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.