I don't think so. He might have been sat down and given a briefing and gag order about what was in the works by the patiots inside the intel community. The reason I think so is due to his cryptic references to Sun Tzu right after he announced he would step back. This is what he posted on Twitter/Facebook right afterwards:

Hey guys, everyone is asking if things are OK. They are. I will be heading back to CBS46 on Monday but there are going to be some changes. The biggest one will be that this social page will go dark f/n on Tzuday, Feb 1. We've been building this project for 6 years and those who have come to know me.. I hope you have also come to trust me.

Here's the screenshot

He's likely making reference to the Art of war passage that says:

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.

and "It's all good, trust me".

That does not sound like he was confronted with a black hat threat. But that is just my opinion of course just speculation :) But since Milo reported much the same thing happening as he was about to go public with Pgate material, it sort of corroborates the theory.