Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and one of the richest men in the world, appeared this Monday at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami-Dade to fulfill his jury duty, according to reports from NBC 6, which captured the magnate as he left the courthouse.
The 62-year-old businessman waved to the cameras as he left the building, but he did not make any statements to the press.
The journalists attempted to ask him about the Amazon cargo plane accident that occurred on September 6 at Miami International Airport, which resulted in five fatalities. Bezos did not respond and headed straight to the vehicle that was waiting for him.
The billionaire no longer oversees the daily operations of Amazon, having stepped down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2021. However, as the executive chairman of the board, he maintains a connection with the company and continues to be one of its most recognized figures.
Bezos appeared in Miami at a critical time for the company, following the accident of flight 7598, operated by the cargo airline 21 Air for Amazon Prime Air.
Just a few hours before its appearance before the court, Amazon confirmed that it had suspended its operations with 21 Air, based in Miami, which intensified public scrutiny over the safety of the company's cargo fleet.
The accident occurred when a Boeing 767-300 freighter veered off runway 30 at the airport during landing, struck a van carrying airline cleaning staff and another vehicle, and caught fire. The five deceased, all Cubans, were traveling in the van.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recovered the black boxes from the aircraft. The preliminary data indicate excessive speed during landing and that the speed brakes and thrust reversers were not deployed.
Bezos has a deep personal connection to Miami. He is originally from South Florida and graduated as valedictorian from Miami Palmetto Senior High School in 1982. His adoptive father, Miguel "Mike" Bezos, was born in Santiago de Cuba and arrived in the United States in 1962 at the age of 16 through Operation Pedro Pan.
At the America Business Forum held in Miami in November 2025, Bezos spoke about his connection to the city with words that capture his attachment to the place: "My dad is Cuban. He's here in Miami. This city has such good energy that you can feel it. As soon as I land, I feel that energy. The moment the plane touches down, I feel it."
Since 2023, the billionaire has been residing on Indian Creek Island—known as the "billionaires' bunker"—where he acquired three properties for a total of approximately 237 million dollars. Among his neighbors on this exclusive island are Julio Iglesias, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Mark Zuckerberg.
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