Parler CEO John Matze, family forced into hiding over death threats, security breaches: court filing

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A new court filing on Friday from the Parler legal team revealed its CEO John Matze and his family are now in hiding over death threats and security breaches they have faced. 

Parler, a social media app that has been widely embraced by Trump supporters, launched an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon after the tech giant discontinued its web services following last week's riots on Capitol Hill. Amazon filed a response, claiming it has "no legal basis" and alleged its employees have been faced with threats and harassment. 

The filing from Parler's lawyers obtained by Fox News acknowledges the disturbing claims made by Amazon but note that the Jeff Bezos-run company is not the one receiving threats. 

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"Although AWS’s motion to seal focuses only on its own employees, Parler’s employees have been similarly harassed and threatened," the filing read. "Parler’s CEO, John Matze, Jr., reports in his declaration in support of Parler’s TRO motion that many Parler employees are suffering harassment and hostility, fear for their safety and that of their families, and in some cases have fled their home state to escape persecution. 

"Matze himself, as the CEO of the company AWS continues to vilify, has had to leave his home and go into hiding with his family after receiving death threats and invasive personal security breaches," the filing continued. 

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Earlier this week, Matze told Fox News about the various threats he has received and the measures he would take to protect his family. 

"There is a group called UGNazi that is targeting me," Matze said, noting the controversial hacker group has released many of his passwords and personal information on the internet. "They published my street address, they threatened to come through my front door."

He usually doesn’t take threats directed at him too seriously, he said. But this time he’s gone into hiding with his family.

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He isn’t sure when he’ll return home, saying he’s taking things "day-by-day," but thinks being away from his usual routine amid the chaos surrounding his company could actually be having a positive impact.

"It’s probably leveled me out," Matze said. "If I was at home right now I think my stress levels would have been like three times higher… at least there is that saving grace." 

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.