Matthew Ungelsbee, a 37-year-old man from Quincy, Illinois, has been charged with mailing threatening letters containing white powder to members of Congress in the Chicago area. According to federal court records unsealed Monday, Ungelsbee sent at least four plain white envelopes postmarked in Springfield on October 19. Each envelope contained a note and a powdery substance that was later confirmed to be non-dangerous.
Key Takeaways
Matthew Unglesbee, 37, of Quincy, Illinois, was charged with mailing threatening letters containing white powder to members of Congress in Chicago. The envelopes were postmarked on October 19 and contained notes such as “HAH enjoy the gift.” Ungelsbee admitted to sending the letters after hearing about similar incidents in the news but denied involvement in other mailings nationwide. Testing confirmed the substance was not dangerous, though it resembled anthrax. Unglesbee is also a registered sex offender and faces state charges of harassment through electronic communication.
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ungelsbee's Motive | 1 Difference | HuffPost and CBS News report Ungelsbee claimed it was a joke; UPI says he told officials it looked like anthrax. | ▼ |
| Substance In Letters | Broad Agreement | Testing confirmed the substance was not dangerous. | |
| Number Of Letters Sent | Broad Agreement | Four letters were sent to members of Congress. | |
| Notes In Letters | Broad Agreement | Notes included 'HAH enjoy the gift' and 'HA HA'. |
Ungelsbee's Motive
▼HuffPost and CBS News report Ungelsbee claimed it was a joke; UPI says he told officials it looked like anthrax.
Substance In Letters
Broad AgreementTesting confirmed the substance was not dangerous.
Number Of Letters Sent
Broad AgreementFour letters were sent to members of Congress.
Notes In Letters
Broad AgreementNotes included 'HAH enjoy the gift' and 'HA HA'.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The letters were addressed to elected officials and included notes such as “HAH enjoy the gift.” Investigators said none of the recipients opened the letters, with the most recent one received on October 23 at the office of a U.S. senator. The FBI initiated an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip about Ungelsbee discussing similar mailings in a restaurant.
Ungelsbee admitted to sending the letters after hearing someone talk about similar incidents in the news but denied any involvement with other mailings sent nationwide. He claimed the substance was salt and that he knew the recipients would take it seriously because of its resemblance to anthrax. The FBI found a fifth unmailed envelope addressed to another congress member’s office during a search of his home.
Ungelsbee is charged with mailing threatening communications and perpetrating a hoax. He made an initial appearance on the federal charges Monday by video conference and is scheduled for a detention hearing Wednesday. Additionally, he faces state charges of harassment through electronic communication and is listed as a registered sex offender in Adams County.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.