A Colorado jury has convicted a man for kidnapping a woman during an alleged attempt to kill media mogul Michael Bloomberg. Joseph Beecher faces a hefty prison term on kidnapping, carjacking, and firearms charges for kidnapping Mr. Bloomberg’s housekeeper after breaking into his ranch in 2022. Police found the woman unharmed the following morning at a nearby hotel. No members of Mr. Bloomberg’s family were in the house at the time.
The unnamed victim told police that she was in an upstairs bedroom of the $44 million ranch when she heard a male voice. She turned to see who was speaking and was greeted by a man holding what she described as a “machine gun.” He forced her into her car at gunpoint, and the pair left the scene. The convicted kidnapper was also wanted on suspicion of committing a burglary earlier the same day, where he allegedly stole firearms including an AR-15 rifle and ammunition.
Prosecutors told the Cheyenne jury that Beecher was “intent on killing Bloomberg,” though a motive for doing so remains unclear.
Investigators were able to locate the woman because her iPad was in her car. They traced the device to a motel car park, and surveillance footage confirmed her presence. A SWAT team raided the room and arrested the suspect while freeing the victim.
Mr. Bloomberg is the owner and founder of Bloomberg LP, and served as its CEO from 1981 to 2001 and from 2014 until 2023. A Democrat, he was elected Mayor of New York City in 2002 and re-elected twice more, staying in post until 2013. A multi billionaire, he is one of the world’s richest people and in 2022, his net worth was estimated at $82 billion.
In 2019, Bloomberg announced his intention to stand in the Democratic Party Presidential primaries, saying he wanted to “defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America.” He declared that defeating former President Trump was crucial, and “the stakes could not be higher.” Mr. Bloomberg funded his own campaign and refused to take donations, but his bid ultimately failed to take off after he performed poorly in the first two primary debates. He subsequently withdrew and threw his support behind Joe Biden.