For years, they claimed my husband & others defrauded Amazon of "tens of millions."
A court filing reveals - though redactions - that Amazon's OWN expert says there were...ZERO DOLLARS in damage.
Look at what Amazon said in April 2020 - in a secret complaint unsealed for prosecutors on an emergency basis so Amazon could get DOJ to seize funds: Damage of at least 50 MILLION.
The DOJ did seize the $ - and 2 years later, just simply gave it back. DOJ didn't try to prove anything. In fact...they have secretly admitted to Amazon that they shouldn't have seized it. There are emails. reason.com/2022/02/18/fbi…
A federal prosecutor told Amazon's Pat Stokes that DOJ "seized the money too early" and that being forced to "prove" its seizure with evidence would have a "negative impact."
Now, of course, Amazon had PRESSURED DOJ to take that $. Here is Stokes emailing prosecutors "Jess" Aber & Uzo Asonye - before even pitching Amazon's allegations - saying, hey, top priority: SEIZING $$.
Amazon said things like, oh, hey, we paid a developer $16.25 million & that was a fraud.
Guys, Amazon paid the developer ZERO dollars.
And now they admit there is NO DAMAGE in any way.
What "evidence" did DOJ use to seize the $? Will someone be held accountable?
Do I think that anyone at Amazon, Gibson Dunn or anywhere will be held accountable? Our lives were destroyed - with malice and lies - and we should just be okay with it? cc: @BradStone, @KYWeise, @jodikantor, @levipulk, @toddbishop, @billybinion
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In a stunning filing last night, senior DOJ leadership pointed to texts between prosecutors that show casual conversation about political motivations to bring federal criminal charges against an American.
There should be outrage over this from ALL sides. But /1
There will not be outrage. Because somehow in America it's okay to deprive Americans of due process if it's "our side" doing the depriving.
This is why our institutions are broken.
You think it won't matter to you - but when my husband was falsely accused by Bezos, it did /2
In my husband's case, we were able to see the communications between prosecutors and Amazon's ex-DOJ prosecutor lawyer. Here is an example: a top prosecutor promises two of her "very best" lawyers "specifically selected" for Bezos. One rule of law for all except billionaires /3
When prosecutors Matthew Burke & Jamar Walker told my husband not to record a call, I recorded it.
With Amazon lawyer Yousri Omar on the line, they told my husband he’d get what he deserved if he didn’t stop defending himself in a civil lawsuit filed by Amazon. /1
Free advice: If you're company is in litigation/under investigation, the company's lawyers are NOT YOUR LAWYERS. They are representing the company's interests; not yours.
This REALLY surprised me when Amazon came after my husband. I'll explain. /1
Amazon's target Brian Watson is now suing AWS exec Keith Klein. Klein didn't have his own lawyer when Amazon came after Watson & my husband. Gibson Dunn, Amazon's lawyer, represented him. And according to a new lawsuit, Klein VOLUNTEERED that he had told a company (IPI) to break a contract with Watson. If it's true, that's textbook tortious interference.
I mean, I would expect lawyers who represented my interests to perhaps not let this testimony come out voluntarily. But ... again, Gibson Dunn represented Amazon - not Klein. /2
Another example is former AWS exec Chris Vonderhaar. According to Watson - who is suing Vonderhaar - Vonderhaar testified in Amazon's suit against Watson that alleged violations Amazon's code of conduct was legally enforceable and could serve as the basis for a lawsuit.
And Amazon lawyers Yousri Omar and Matt Doden - also being sued - said the same, to the Department of Justice. (Like, an agency you have to tell the truth to or ... it's a crime, right?)
But ... Amazon took a different position in other cases + a federal judge prohibited them from arguing this against Watson or my husband + the plain language of the code is ALSO contrary to this.
One would think that Gibson Dunn would have NEVER allowed individuals at Amazon to argue this, a firm that charges thousands per hour would surely educate Vonderhaar that he couldn't testify as to this or it would be false. But, again, Gibson Dunn represented Amazon - not Vonderhaar. Will Amazon now point the finger AT Vonderhaar?? Remains to be seen. /3
5 years ago today, Amazon bought a piece of land in Virginia from billionaire, Herb Glimcher. My husband - who’d left Amazon nearly 7 months before - had partnered with Glimcher to rezone the land for data center use.
Amazon accused my husband of a crime for selling it land. /1
Amazon agreed to the price for the land. The price was below market. Amazon kept the land and built data centers on it, reaping billions.
Amazon doesn’t sell real estate development. So, my husband wasn’t violating his post employment non compete.
But … /2
Amazon told DOJ that the billionaire paid my husband a kickback in violation of a statute called private sector honest services fraud fraud.
DOJ said okay, seized my family’s assets and destroyed by husband’s company.
Glimcher, who allegedly paid the kickback? He’s fine. /3
Here is @BillClinton confirming the same. He says @JoeBiden has reason to believe that Hunter was unfairly prosecuted because he is the president's son. /2
@BillClinton @JoeBiden There is more! Here is @BarackObama in Chicago this week explaining that the criminal justice system can be used as a weapon by one party or the other - or, really, ANYONE. (Trust me, @JeffBezos did it to my fam.) /3