how to get the money: bitcoin, move to russia and use wire transfers, launder it through lawyers, etc
life afterwards: one hell of a lot richer
fbi: part of the agreement is ashley doesn't go to the fbi, again, with the full data release hanging over their heads. And no, I don't think the fbi would be particularly motivated. They have plenty on their plates. Because, crucially, Ashley Madison wants this to go away (hence the hush money), so they're unmotivated to pursue legal challenges because it quite likely results in the full data release.
Particularly with the potential of disrupting the ipo, it seems straightforward to cut a deal.
The FBI wouldn't want to be involved either. What high-level bureaucrat wants to defend themselves in front of a congressional investigation about why they spent taxpayer dollars keeping marriage infidelities private instead of X, forall X they could have been working on instead?
Ok, on the flip side, how would AM hide a $10mm payment to a random shady group from investors and future IPO filings? A new office in russia for 'consulting services'!?
And in these kinds of hostage negotiations, you give in to demands while simultaneously try to capture the criminals.
how to get the money: bitcoin, move to russia and use wire transfers, launder it through lawyers, etc
life afterwards: one hell of a lot richer
fbi: part of the agreement is ashley doesn't go to the fbi, again, with the full data release hanging over their heads. And no, I don't think the fbi would be particularly motivated. They have plenty on their plates. Because, crucially, Ashley Madison wants this to go away (hence the hush money), so they're unmotivated to pursue legal challenges because it quite likely results in the full data release.
Particularly with the potential of disrupting the ipo, it seems straightforward to cut a deal.