#AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron Was Target of Blackmail and Extortion Plot

AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron was the victim of a blackmail and extortion plot.

The unconventional CEO disclosed the plot Thursday morning on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the perpetrator has already been convicted.

“By definition, I live my life in the public eye. 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,” Aron shared. “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?”

According to court documents, the woman, Sakoya Blackwood, began texting Aaron in March of 2022 pretending to be a number of different people.

Aron sent her explicit photos in the course of texting, according to the indictment, and Blackwood threatened to show the photos to the press and AMC’s board unless he paid her. Aron instead brought the extortion attempt to the attention of the FBI.

“BLACKWOOD engaged in a campaign of harassment, intimidation, and threats against Victim- 1, including by sending harassing, threatening, and intimidating text messages to Victim- 1,” according to the indictment, in which Aron was “Victim-1.”

According to court records, Blackwood pled guilty to one count of cyberstalking, and is now serving time in prison.

Semafor first reported the blackmail attempt.