Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Jeff Bezos

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Jeff Bezos.

Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Amazon, a global leader in e-commerce and cloud computing. He is among the wealthiest individuals globally, with an estimated net worth exceeding $220 billion as of May 2025, according to Forbes. Bezos held the title of the world's richest person from 2017 to 2021, according to Forbes and Bloomberg, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in both the business and technology sectors.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

May 2014: Bezos Named "World's Worst Boss"

In May 2014, the International Trade Union Confederation named Jeff Bezos the "World's Worst Boss", criticizing his promotion of the North American corporate model.

2014: Amazon Wins CIA Cloud Computing Contract

In 2014, Amazon won a bid for a cloud computing contract with the CIA valued at $600 million.

2015: Bezos Denounces New York Times Article

In 2015, Jeff Bezos publicly contested claims made in a critical New York Times article, sending a memo to employees denouncing the piece.

2016: Public criticizes Bezos for limited philanthropy

Since 2016, Jeff Bezos's relative lack of philanthropy compared to other billionaires has drawn negative public response.

March 2018: India Expansion and Trump's Accusations

In March 2018, Jeff Bezos dispatched Amit Agarwal to India with $5.5 billion to localize Amazon's operations and U.S. President Donald Trump accused Amazon and Bezos of sales tax avoidance and anti-competitive practices.

May 1, 2018: Hacking of Bezos's phone via WhatsApp message

On May 1, 2018, Jeff Bezos's mobile phone was allegedly hacked through a malicious file hidden in a video sent via a WhatsApp message from the personal account of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman.

July 2018: Congressional Inquiry into Rekognition

During July 2018, a number of members of the U.S. Congress called on Jeff Bezos to detail the applications of Amazon's face recognition software, Rekognition.

September 2018: Questions about Bezos's Day 1 Fund

In September 2018, Janet Camarena from Foundation Center raised questions about the structure and funding of Jeff Bezos's new Day 1 Fund.

September 2018: Stop BEZOS Act

In September 2018, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act and accused Amazon of receiving corporate welfare.

2018: Controversy Over JEDI Contract

In 2018, a $10 billion contract known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) project, this time with the Pentagon, was allegedly written up in a way that favors Amazon.

2018: Washington Post Employees Criticize Bezos

In 2018, more than 400 Washington Post employees wrote an open letter to Jeff Bezos criticizing his poor wages and benefits for his employees.

February 7, 2019: Bezos Accuses David Pecker of Extortion and Blackmail

On February 7, 2019, Jeff Bezos published an online essay in which he accused American Media, Inc. owner David Pecker of "extortion and blackmail" for threatening to publish intimate photos of Bezos and current girlfriend Lauren Sánchez.

March 2019: Accusations of Saudi government hacking Bezos's phone

In March 2019, Jeff Bezos's security consultant accused the Saudi government of hacking Bezos's phone. This accusation was linked to The Washington Post's coverage of the murder of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi.

November 2019: Amazon Files Lawsuit Over JEDI Contract Award

In November 2019, after the JEDI contract was awarded to Microsoft instead, Amazon filed a lawsuit with allegations that the bidding process was biased.

2019: Harvard Business Review Downgrades Bezos's Ranking

In 2019, Harvard Business Review, which had previously ranked Jeff Bezos as the best-performing CEO for 4 years, did not rank him in the top 100, citing Amazon's low ESG scores reflecting issues with working conditions, employment policies, data security, and antitrust.

2019: PAC Linked to Bezos Attempts to Defeat Sawant

In 2019, a PAC linked to Jeff Bezos spent over $1 million in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the reelection bid of Seattle city council member and activist Kshama Sawant.

January 2020: Report on the Bezos phone hack

In January 2020, The Guardian reported that the hacking of Jeff Bezos's phone was initiated before the murder of Jamal Khashoggi but after Khashoggi wrote critically about the crown prince in The Washington Post.

July 6, 2021: Pentagon Cancels JEDI Contract with Microsoft

On July 6, 2021, the Pentagon cancelled the JEDI contract with Microsoft, citing that "due to evolving requirements, increased cloud conversancy, and industry advances, the JEDI Cloud contract no longer meets its needs."

December 2023: Washington Post Employees Strike

Around 750 employees at The Washington Post went on a brief strike in December 2023 in response to Jeff Bezos' plans to lay off staff.

2024: Bezos Blocks Harris Endorsement

In 2024, Jeff Bezos blocked the Washington Post's editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris in the presidential election, leading to criticism and resignations.

2024: Scrutiny and Criticism of Bezos' Ownership

Jeff Bezos' ownership of The Washington Post has been subject to scrutiny and criticism regarding his treatment of employees as well as his influence on the paper's content, in particular 2024-25 interference with the editorial and opinion pages.

January 2025: Ann Telnaes Resigns From the Post

In January 2025, editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned from the Post after it refused to run a satirical cartoon critical of the relationship between American billionaires and President Donald Trump, sparking conversations about the paper's ownership under Bezos.

February 2025: Bezos Announces New Direction For Post Opinion Section

In February 2025, Jeff Bezos announced that the opinion section of the Post will give voice only to opinions that support "personal liberties" and "free markets", and that divergent opinions will not be published by the Post.