Hacked Seattle crosswalks play fake Jeff Bezos messages about wealth tax

SEATTLE -- Pedestrians in Seattle were startled Wednesday morning when crosswalk signals began broadcasting an unusual political message: a spoof recording purporting to be Amazon founder Jeff Bezos criticizing local tax policies.

Residents shared on X the automated messages, which played at several busy intersections across the city for hours. One message reviewed by ABC News appeared to mimic Bezos by saying: "Hi, I'm Jeff Bezos, this crosswalk is sponsored by Amazon Prime with an important message. Please don't tax the rich. Otherwise, all the other billionaires will move to Florida too."

The unauthorized recordings, which appeared to be a form of political protest, targeted multiple intersections in Seattle's tech-heavy South Lake Union neighborhood and the bustling University District, the Seattle Department of Transportation said.

The timing aligns with recent discussions in the state legislature regarding a proposed tax increase on residents with financial assets exceeding $50 million, according to Seattle ABC affiliate KOMO.

Senate Democrats in Washington state are advocating for tax hikes targeting some of the wealthiest individuals and companies to help address a significant budget deficit, which is estimated to be between $6.6 billion and $13 billion, according to KOMO.

The mysterious messages also made a controversial reference to Luigi Mangione, who was charged in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in December.

The Seattle Department of Transportation said it responded to the locations where the fake audio messages have been used, saying it had removed the recordings in all locations where the tampering occurred.

"The audio recordings at crosswalks play a critical role for people who are blind or have limited vision, helping them to cross streets safely," SDOT said in a statement to ABC News. "We are concerned that someone would disregard people's safety to make a political statement. We take this matter seriously and have been working as fast as we can to respond to the situation. We are also working with our vendor to explore stronger security measures to prevent future hacking."

SDOT did not say how the crosswalks were hacked.

The Seattle Police Department told ABC News it was an SDOT matter and was not conducting an investigation.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in Seattle over housing affordability and the influence of tech companies in the region, KOMO reported.

Amazon did not respond to ABC News' request for comment on behalf of Bezos.