Inside Amazon’s Dark Secret: Exec’s Shocking Crime and the Company’s Silent Cover-Up Exposed

Inside Amazon's Dark Secret: Exec's Shocking Crime and the Company's Silent Cover-Up Exposed

So, picture this: Amazon, the giant that delivers everything but your dignity sometimes, hits a massive snag. Laura Danbom, a seasoned employee with seven years under her belt, stepped up with serious accusations against Michelangelo Simonte, a top advertising exec, alleging a horrifying violation at a company office party. Now, when you think of Amazon, you think efficiency, innovation, and those nifty package drones—not internal drama that feels straight out of a messy legal thriller. But here we are, with a lawsuit that not only unpacks the disturbing events of a business trip gone horribly wrong but also shines a glaring spotlight on how corporate giants handle—or mishandle—claims of misconduct. So, how does a titan like Amazon end up in a spot where an employee feels silenced rather than supported? Let’s dig into this tangled web of allegations, corporate cover-ups, and the real human cost behind the headlines. LEARN MORE

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Amazon faced a major setback on Tuesday, October 20, when Laura Danbom, an employee of seven years, accused a top-performing advertising executive of violating her at an office party.

Michelangelo Simonte allegedly took what began as a night of flirtatious conversation in an unexpected direction in 2023, a lawsuit states.

She said she reported the incident to HR, hoping the department would support her, but was instead instructed to keep the matter to herself.

Highlights

  • Laura Danbom alleged that Amazon failed to properly investigate her complaint against a senior colleague.
  • The company reportedly instructed her not to discuss the allegations at work.
  • Danbom claimed she had to give up a promotion to avoid working with Simonte.

“This shouldn’t happen to anybody,” Danbom lamented.

Danbom alleged Simonte crossed a line during their business trip to New York 

Monica Nickelsburg / KUOW

Danbom’s lawsuit revealed that she worked at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, while Simonte was based in Madrid.

The pair met during a business trip to New York City on October 27, 2023, and attended an event featuring an open bar and karaoke room.

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Early in the evening, they “flirted,” “joked,” and “got along.”

At the end of the night, Simonte “kissed her” and “persuaded” her to let him accompany her to her hotel room.

It was there that things took a disturbing turn, the lawsuit details.

Smith Collection/Gado

“In Danbom’s hotel room, during the early morning hours, Simonte r*ped her,” the complaint alleged. 

“Before the r*pe started, she said no. During the r*pe, she asked him: ‘You realize this is,’ and Simonte finished her sentence, saying, ‘r*pe? Yes.’”

Danbom reported the incident to the New York Police Department the following day, handing investigators a barrier contraceptive Simonte had allegedly left behind.

She also underwent the required medical examinations.

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King County Superior Court Clerk

During a phone call between Danbom and Simonte that detectives monitored in hopes of obtaining a potential confession, Simonte said he was “200% sure” that they had never been intimate. However, he later contradicted himself during a police interview, claiming he was too drunk to remember what had happened.

This, though, was not enough for the NYPD to charge him. Investigators eventually closed the case, saying they had exhausted all investigative avenues.

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Two days after the incident, Danbom reached out to Amazon’s human resources department. 

The company launched an investigation and placed Simonte on monthslong leave of absence.

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However, Danbom told The New York Post that they ultimately concluded he had not violated its policies.

Danbom accused Amazon of “willfully” ignoring evidence against Simonte

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Danbom’s lawsuit alleged that Amazon closed its investigation without speaking to witnesses who could corroborate her account.

It also claimed that, during the inquiry, she was “asked inappropriate and re-traumatizing questions” that suggested she had not done enough to stop the alleged misconduct. 

These reportedly included questions challenging her on “whether she yelled ‘no.’”

Laura Danbom / Linkedin

According to the lawsuit, Amazon’s human resources department told Danbom it would reopen the case if New York prosecutors brought charges against Simonte.

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The company also instructed her “not to speak about” his alleged actions at work.

ADVERTISEMENT“It prevented me from warning other women who might have interacted with him at events,” Danbom told The Post.

Michelangelo Simonte / Linkedin

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Simonte was never fired by Amazon.

In fact, the company allegedly required Danbom to “work with Simonte directly, by phone, by email and in remote settings.”

Amazon issued a statement in response to the lawsuit after it made headlines

Laura Danbom / Facebook

“We take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously, and we have zero tolerance for workplace s**ual misconduct or violence of any kind,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, per NYP.

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