Jeff Bezos’ Security Detail Costs 20 Times His Actual Salary

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos might have an $81,840 salary, but his security costs are through the roof, according to Business Insider, which points out that Bezos’ safety detail cost $1.6 million last year. This naturally begs the question: Does Bezos really feel that unsafe?

Luckily, a statement from Amazon clears the air… sort of:

“We believe that the amount of the reported security expenses is especially reasonable in light of Mr. Bezos’ low salary and the fact that he has never received any stock-based compensation.”

To be fair, Bezos’ security expenses likely are equal to, if not less than, many other high-profile CEOs’. Still, this situation raises a couple of issues.

Is Amazon really basing its security costs on how much a person makes? If so, I’d like to think that entry level employees at the company are accompanied to work by bullet-proof humvees. (We jest. That would make Seattle horrifying.)

Also, on a more serious note, Bezos reportedly sold about a million of his 89 million Amazon shares last November… and banked $152 million from the deal, according to the New York Post.

Wow, good thing Amazon was able to justify those expenses with Bezos’ pauper status, huh?

TAGS: Amazon

• Don't Forget This Smart 401(k) Rollover Option
• 8 Things Your Boss Doesn't Need To Know
• 20 Sneaky (and Easy!) Ways to Save
• 7 Ridiculous Kitchen Gadgets That You Don't Need