Who is Jay Bloom? Billionaire investor's texts with OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush over safety concerns revealed

Billionaire Jay Bloom recently revealed that he and his son were offered two seats on the Titan submersible, but he rejected the same due to safety issues and his busy schedule. They were eventually taken by businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who eventually became victims of the "catastrophic implosion" that reportedly destroyed the vessel.

Bloom shared a Facebook post on Thursday with a few screenshots of his conversation with Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, the company behind the vessel and the Titanic expedition. He wrote that Stockton invited him and his son Sean for a dive in the Titan and that although the trip was initially scheduled in May, it was postponed due to weather. He added:

"I expressed safety concerns and Stockton told me: "While there's obviously risk it's way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving. There hasn't been even an injury in 35 years in a non-military subs.""

Jay said that he met Stockton back on March 1, when they had lunch together and discussed the trip on Titan. He further stated that Stockton was confident about the vessel and that he received a book of photos signed by him and another passenger, Paul Henri Nargeolet.

According to the screenshots, the Titan dive was offered to Jay Bloom at a discounted price of $150,000.

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Jay Bloom has been the owner of companies like Pegasus Group Holdings, First 100, and more

Jay Bloom has pursued a successful career as an entrepreneur over the years (Image via Jay Bloom/Facebook)

Jay Bloom has pursued a successful career as a businessman over the years. He established the holding company called Pegasus Group Holdings, which is the owner and operator of data center ecosystems using renewable energy. The data centers are used by medical companies that provide human genome mapping sequencing and cryptocurrency miners.

He is the director of First 100, which purchases delinquent liens on HOA properties and takes the help of the Nevada law to foreclose and become the owners of said properties, as the lender's mortgage is eliminated.

Bloom then launched a venture called Police Chase Las Vegas, which provides an opportunity for people to be a part of a simulated police chase and enjoy its thrill.

He has also been operating helicopter services that offer transportation for elite customers and later started low-budget short rides for others as well.

Jay Bloom also launched pet insurance for companion animals. It was initially sold as an employee benefit via payroll deduction, and later as a credit card enhancement.

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Safety of the Titan submersible was questioned by a former OceanGate employee in the past

Former OceanGate employee, David Lochridge, mentioned in a 2018 counterclaim lawsuit that he was fired from the company for having doubts about Titan's safety. David joined the company as an engineer in 2015.

He questioned the safety of the vessel and found issues in the design and the hull, following which he was reportedly fired from the company. He was sued on charges of contract breach, fraud, and misappropriation of trade secrets. David was also accused of sharing the confidential details of OceanGate with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

The lawsuit was settled in November 2018. According to an article published by The New York Times in 2018, Stockton Rush was warned of catastrophic issues when the vessel was built. Marine Technology Society was critical of OceanGate's marketing strategy, and claimed that the submersible was not made according to the safety standards of DNV-GL.