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Netflix's latest documentary series Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal chronicles the downfall of the dating website that fell victim to a data hack in 2015. Known as an infidelity website that catered to married men, the identities of its users were leaked by hackers which destroyed the lives of many people.
At the center of the scandal was Ashley Madison CEO Noel Biderman. After working as a lawyer and sports agent, Biderman became the CEO of Avid Life Media and Ashley Madison in 2007. While he was heavily criticized for apparently promoting infidelity, the entrepreneur responded by saying they were simply catering to an existing demand.
Along with the information of Ashley Madison users, Biderman's personal emails were also leaked by the hackers in 2015. In the wake of the scandal, Biderman stepped down as the CEO of Avif Life Media Inc. He is currently balancing two different roles: the CEO of Avenue Insights, and a Board Member and Strategic Advisor at WonderFi.
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Noel Biderman's life after the Ashley Madison fiasco
As per reports, Noel Biderman is still married to his wife Amanda. Despite being exposed for engaging in extra-marital affairs during the 2015 data breach, the couple is still reported to be together. They have two children together.
After stepping away from Avid Life Media in 2015, his LinkedIn profile indicates that Biderman has been working in a company called Avenue Insights as CEO since 2016. He was briefly on the Board Of Directors at The Flowr Corporation in 2021 after which he worked at Bitbuy for almost a year. Following that, he briefly served as Freelance Advisor to the CEO of Kings Entertainment Group Inc. from 2022-2023.
Read more: Which celebrities were exposed following Ashley Madison hack?
Besides being a CEO at Avenue Insights, he is also currently a Board Member and Strategic Advisor at WonderFi. His profile reads:
"I am currently helping SME use consumer and employee data to make more efficient decisions, and better compete with large companies in their peer set."
With no active social media accounts, Noel Biderman currently seems to reside in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, with his family.
Noel Biderman's emails leaked in the 2015 data hack
Ashley Madison was founded in 2001 by Darren Morgenstern with a tagline that read "Life is short. Have an affair." While it did have some members in the initial years, the success of the website took off when Noel Biderman became its CEO.
With his childhood friend Evan Back serving as vice president of sales, the two adopted an aggressive marketing strategy. As per the LA Times, Biderman himself wrote the commercials for the website. While most major networks declined to run the ads, Biderman went on to appear on various programs and shows to promote the website.
By 2015, the site had gained over 37 million users in more than 40 countries. While Noel Biderman promoted infidelity in his 2009 book Cheaters Prosper: How Infidelity Will Save the Modern Marriage, he claimed to be "happily married" to his wife Amanda. In a 2020 interview with The New Zealand Herald, he said he would be "devastated" if his wife cheated on him, but he would instead blame himself.
In a 2014 interview with the Daily News, Biderman denied having affairs. He also claimed that infidelity was not for him as it would hurt his wife. On the other hand, his wife Amanda had expressed in previous interviews that she would be "devasted" if her husband was engaging in an affair behind their marriage.
In July 2015, the company was hacked by a group called The Impact Team. They accused Ashley Madison of storing the history, personal information, and purchase details of its users even after they had deleted their accounts. They demanded Avid Media shut down the dating website.
After ALM refused to give in to the demands, the personal information of all its users was released by the hackers. In addition, CEO Noel Biderman's personal emails were also leaked which appeared to show him engaging in extra-marital activities himself. The leaks exposed his 3-year-long affair with a Toronto escort named Melisa, as well as various other women.
In the wake of the hacking scandal, Biderman resigned from his position as CEO of Avid Media and Ashley Madison. The 2015 press release by ALM, dated August 28, stated:
"Effective today, Noel Biderman, in mutual agreement with the company, is stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of Avid Life Media Inc. (ALM) and is no longer with the company... This change is in the best interest of the company and allows us to continue to provide support to our members and dedicated employees."
Read more: Fact Check: Were the Ashley Madison hackers ever caught?
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal is currently available to stream on Netflix.
