What the National Enquirer Reported About Jeff Bezos
The National Enquirer published a story in early 2019 about Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post. The tabloid reported on private text messages between Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, the sister of his then-girlfriend MacKenzie Scott. The outlet indicated it had obtained messages related to an extramarital affair and considered releasing them publicly. The story became a major media event because Bezos later accused the tabloid of extortion and political pressure.
According to reporting by outlets including Forbes, the National Enquirer parent company American Media Inc. was linked to Saudi Arabia through its owner David Pecker and long-time associate Ronald Burkle. Bezos detailed alleged threats and demands in a blog post, stating that the tabloid tried to suppress the story in exchange for not publishing personal messages. The dispute drew attention to media ownership, political connections, and the power dynamics between billionaires and tabloid publishers.
Timeline of the National Enquirer Jeff Bezos Text Story
The National Enquirer first signaled its possession of Bezos messages in late 2018, according to reporting by The New Yorker and other outlets. The tabloid did not publish the full story immediately, and Bezos later said he was told the outlet wanted to avoid negative coverage of Saudi Arabia in his newspaper in exchange for silence. The public dispute escalated in early 2019 after Bezos released a statement and blog post accusing the tabloid of extortion.
Bezos hired private investigators to trace the source of the leaked messages, and his team later pointed to a specific AMI employee as the source of the texts. The tabloid ultimately did not publish the full story, but the National Enquirer did publish a cover story about Bezos and Sanchez in early 2019. The episode led to investigations, lawsuits, and increased scrutiny of American Media Inc. and its practices around celebrity privacy and political pressure.
Key Figures and Companies Involved
Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, and the executive chairman of the company. He is also the founder and owner of Blue Origin, the aerospace company, and the owner of The Washington Post. Lauren Sanchez is a television personality and former entertainment reporter who was linked to Bezos during the period when the tabloid obtained the messages. Her brother, Patrick Soon-Shiong, is a billionaire investor and owner of the Los Angeles Times.
American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, is led by David Pecker and was at the center of the dispute with Bezos. The company has faced legal challenges and investigations related to hush money payments and its relationship with political figures. The Bezos case highlighted broader concerns about tabloid ethics, media consolidation, and the intersection of wealth, politics, and celebrity privacy in modern media.
Sources and References
For more details on the National Enquirer Jeff Bezos text story, see the reporting by Forbes at Forbes coverage of the Bezos extortion claim. Additional background on Amazon and Jeff Bezos can be found at Forbes profile of Jeff Bezos and Amazon.