AMC CEO Adam Aron discloses online blackmail attempt last year

AMC CEO Adam Aron confirmed on Thursday he was the victim of a blackmail attempt by a New York woman last year.

The case had been previously publicized, identifying the victim in legal documents only as a CEO of a publicly traded company. News outlet Semafor reported Thursday that Aron was the unnamed CEO, which he later confirmed in a post on X, formerly know as Twitter.

“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.

“Rather than give in to blackmail, I personally engaged counsel and other professional advisors and reported the matter to law enforcement,” he said. “I did so knowing I risked personal embarrassment. But with my access to resources, if I did not stand up against blackmail, who could?”

The New York woman behind the blackmail attempt, Sakoya Blackwood, pretended to be a former romantic partner of Aron using an anonymous online account beginning in March 2022. She then attempted to extort Aron of $300,000, threatening to expose Aron’s online behavior to the AMC board.

Blackwood was charged in a Manhattan federal court for her extortion attempts and was sentenced in July to time already served in jail.

Aron said Thursday he was asked by law enforcement to keep the matter confidential during the investigation and legal proceedings, and that he informed AMC’s board after Blackwood’s sentencing.

“This indeed was entirely a personal matter, and the matter is closed,” Aron said.