It's very strange as a threat because it doesn't make sense from an incentives standpoint.
"Pay me 20 million dollars or you'll have to pay 8 million to the IRS."
That's not a difficult calculation.
It also makes the money sound more legitimate. If this was theft or hacking, I'd be afraid of criminal proceedings. But I'm not afraid of paying the IRS money when I can easily afford it.
The whole thing speaks to the CEO's worldview in a very bizarre way.
"Pay me 20 million dollars or you'll have to pay 8 million to the IRS."
That's not a difficult calculation.
It also makes the money sound more legitimate. If this was theft or hacking, I'd be afraid of criminal proceedings. But I'm not afraid of paying the IRS money when I can easily afford it.
The whole thing speaks to the CEO's worldview in a very bizarre way.