Brother of Jeff Bezos' girlfriend claims his reputation 'severely tarnished' in new lawsuit paperwork
New court filings by Michael Sanchez are part of his defamation suit against Bezos
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says his company does a lot to prevent counterfeiting but does work toward limiting it on the site.
The brother of Jeff Bezos’ girlfriend said his reputation was "severely tarnished" in new court filings that are part of his defamation suit against Bezos, the wealthiest man in the world.
The new filings add detail to claims by Michael Sanchez, brother of Bezos' girlfriend Lauren Sanchez, that his career as a Hollywood talent manager has been damaged after accusations that he leaked information about the Amazon CEO's extramarital affair.
"My reputation has been severely tarnished," Michael Sanchez said according to NBC 4. "Many people have refused to work with me or produce my television and film projects."
Michael Sanchez filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging Bezos defamed him by falsely claiming he had leaked the affair to the media and also had shared the billionaire's nude photos, which the National Enquirer allegedly threatened to publish.
Lauren Sanchez and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos attend Jeff Bezos and Matt Damon's "Manchester By The Sea" Holiday Party on Dec. 3, 2016 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Amazon Studios)
"I never had and never provided pictures of Mr. Bezos' genitalia to The Enquirer, or anyone else for that matter, and my sister knew it," Sanchez said according to NBC 4. "Any statement to the contrary is a fabrication."
On Wednesday, a judge will decide when Bezos' motion to dismiss the suit will be heard.
Michael Sanchez's new filings detail an incident in which producer Dyan Traynor allegedly told him, "No one in Hollywood will ever work with you again" while he met with a client at a West Hollywood restaurant, NBC 4 reported.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 212.22 | -1.88 | -0.88% |
Michael Sanchez's suit also alleges that Bezos' security consultant Gavin de Becker falsely claimed he leaked Bezos' nude photos. He adds that, because of his friendship with former Trump campaign advisers Roger Stone and Carter Page, de Becker spread rumors about him, according to NBC 4.
"My friend Carter Page also informed me that Mr. de Becker told reporters for the Daily Beast that I was involved in a conservative conspiracy with Roger Stone and Carter Page to harm Mr. Bezos," Sanchez said according to NBC 4.
Michael Sanchez's suit also claims that Bezos and Lauren Sanchez kept their affair a secret after seeking advice from a psychic and that the FBI searched his home, NBC 4 reported.
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"Once the FBI and Amazon's own investigators cleared me of ever possessing the pictures used to blackmail Jeff, I thought I'd get a private apology, at a minimum. But Jeff and Lauren haven't looked back," Michael Sanchez told The Daily Mail in June. "I've been thrown under the bus. Sadly, it's likely the next time I see them will be in court."
The scandal has involved many twists and turns, including suggestions that the Saudi Crown Prince hacked Bezos' phone.
FOX Business' inquiry to Amazon was not returned at the time of publication. FOX Business' inquiries to Traynor and Sanchez's attorney were not immediately returned.