Results tagged “banks” from SpyTalk

FBI Has Probed Over 900 Threat Envelopes in Past Two Years

By Jeff Stein | October 24, 2008 7:33 PM | | Comments (0)

The FBI said today that it had investigated over 900 threats made with envelopes containing white powder probably meant to look like anthrax.

"Interesting enough, over the past two-years, the FBI has responded to over 900 of these threat letters," said FBI spokesman Rich Kolko. 

"And when I say they've responded to the threat letters, that means there has to be a threat letter with the powder. " Kolko said in a podcast posted online. 

"We've all heard of those innocent ones where someone spills some sugar on the table and someone calls the police. I'm not even counting those. But that means this has been a large problem across the country for the last few years."

On Thursday the FBI appealed to the public for help with finding the perpetrator who has been sending banks, financial institutions and federal agencies threat letters and powder-stuffed envelopes.

The New York Times also received a threatening letter with powder, but it was deemed not connected to envelopes directed at institutions involved with the mortgage crisis. 

"If you recognize the writing style or if something makes you think it could be tied to someone you are familiar with, we want you to pick up the phone, call the FBI; go to fbi.gov where you can submit an anonymous tip; call the postal inspectors; local police; whatever it takes," Kolko said Friday.

"Try and get that information to us. And very importantly, just on Wednesday the postal inspectors offered a $100,000 reward."

Tags: anthrax, banks, FBI, FDIC, threats

FBI Asks Public for Help Catching Sender of Bank 'Anthrax' Letters

By Jeff Stein | October 23, 2008 4:41 PM | | Comments (0)

The FBI made an unusual public appeal Thursday for citizen help with finding out who is sending threatening letters in envelopes sprinkled with white powder to financial institutions across the country.

 

"(W) e're releasing photographs of one of the letters and its envelope in the hopes that you might be able to help us solve the case." The FBI said.

 

 "Study the images, and see if you recognize the phrasing of the letter, the envelope label, or any other clue that you think might help investigators."

 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, it added, is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

 

"What you just breathed in will kill you within 10 days," the letters say, in large, machine-printed type.

 

But so far the powder, which apparently is designed to look like anthrax, "appears to be harmless," the FBI said.

 

"So far, we've identified more than 50 letters, nearly all of which use threatening language identical to the text shown above." the FBI appeal said. "The letters have all been mailed from Texas and postmarked at Amarillo."

 

"The letters have been sent to at least 11 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia," it said.

 

Institutions receiving the letters have included the Chase Bank; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision, which regulates all federal and many state thrift institutions.

Tags: anthrax, banks, Chase Bank, FBI, FDIC, U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision