AMC Theater’s CEO Adam Aron reveals he was victim of ‘elaborate criminal extortion’ plot

Leawood-based AMC Theatre’s CEO Adam Aron revealed early Thursday that he was a victim of an “elaborate criminal extortion” attempt involving his personal life, which reportedly entailed sexually explicit images and messages.

“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 said in a posting on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“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.”

A federal criminal investigation ensued, which resulted in charges being brought in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. The extortionist was arrested and convicted of a felony, he said.

Law enforcement asked him to keep the matter confidential during the investigation and court proceedings. Aron said he notified AMC’s board of directors shortly after sentencing.

Aron didn’t release details of the blackmail attempt, saying it was “entirely a personal matter.”

AMC’s board retained independent counsel to look into the incident and determined it was a personal matter and considers the issue resolved, according to a statement released Thursday.

AMC Theatres is the world’s largest movie theater chain.

The news site Semafor first reported the news Thursday, saying Aron sent sexually explicit images and messages in text exchanges with a woman who tried to extort money from him using fake identities. Semafor identified the woman as Sakoya Blackwood.

In September 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced charges had been filed in a catfishing scheme against Blackwood involving an unnamed chief executive officer of a publicly traded company.

In unsealing a three-count indictment, prosecutors announced they charged Sakoya Blackwood with extortion, cyberstalking and interstate threats.

The charges alleged that Blackwood made threats against the chief executive officer of a publicly traded company who was identified as “Victim-1,” and threatened to release sexually explicit photographs and communications involving the victim with the intent to extort.

Blackwood also allegedly harassed the victim by sending intimidating and threatening text messages, and allegedly used threats of economic and reputation harm in an attempt to receive money from the victim.

Blackwood pleaded guilty to a felony charge of cyberstalking in March. The other charges were dismissed.

According to a transcript of her change of plea hearing, Blackwood said: “Between April and August of 2022, I sent a series of text messages to an individual knowing that those messages were likely to cause substantial emotional distress. I did so with the intent to harass this individual. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and I am deeply sorry.”

Prosecutors said at the hearing they had evidence that would show that Blackwood harassed and intimidated the victim through texts and other electronic communications, threatening to release sexually explicit material relating to the victim, according to the transcript.

In July, Blackwood was sentenced to time served and placed on supervised release for three years, according to court documents.

She spent nearly a year in year in jail, according to Aron’s tweet Thursday morning.