World
Matthew G. Unglesbee: Illinois man faces felony charges for mailing threatening hoax letters to Congress members
By: Hindustan Times World
Published: 28 October 2026
Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk
<p>An Illinois man faced charges on Monday for two felony offenses following allegations that he dispatched mail containing an unidentified white powder to Congressional representatives, as per a criminal complaint.</p>
<p>Matthew Unglesbee, 37, of Quincy, Illinois, has been arrested and charged after allegedly mailing letters containing white powder and notes reading “HA HA” to multiple Democratic members of Congress. (X@ginamilan_)Matthew G. Unglesbee was prosecuted for providing false information and perpetrating hoaxes, as well as transmitting threatening materials through the mail after four Congressional members received the letters, which bore his return address, the complaint stated.</p>
<p>According to the complaint, Unglesbee informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that the substance contained within the letters was salt and that he had dispatched them in jest.</p>
<p>On October 16, the FBI received information from an informant who had learned of Unglesbee's actions. The informant reported having overheard Unglesbee at a dining establishment discussing how he had transmitted suspicious materials to Congressional members, according to the complaint.</p>
<p>An informant allegedly furnished law enforcement officials with Unglesbee's complete name, residential address, and date of birth.</p>
<p>Following receipt of the tip and a 911 emergency call originating from one of the congressional offices, agents from the FBI's Chicago field office proceeded to the offices of three members of Congress representing the northern Illinois region.</p>
<p>“A staff member at Congressperson A’s office, the first office to receive a letter, noticed that the letter felt like it contained a powder and the staffer could hear something inside the letter,” the complaint said.</p>
<p>An employee contacted emergency services by dialing 911.</p>
<p>The workplace had already implemented heightened security measures after receiving a comparable letter several weeks prior, as per the formal report.</p>
<p>Each of the three letters included “a white granular substance” along with a handwritten note stating “HA HA,” according to the complaint.</p>
<p>On Friday, the FBI's Chicago field office investigated an incident at the office of a fourth congressional representative, specifically a senator located in the Northern District of Illinois. The senator had similarly received an envelope containing a white granular substance, accompanied by a handwritten message reading, “HAH enjoy the gift.”</p>
<p>All four letters bore Unglesbee's name and return address, as stated in the complaint.</p>
<p>FBI Task Force Officer Chris Hobbs, the author of the criminal complaint, described the letters as a typical intimidation strategy. He noted that initial laboratory analysis revealed "no chemical or biological toxins in the white granular substance."</p>
<p>The FBI conducted an interview with Unglesbee at his residence on Saturday, during which he reportedly admitted to mailing the letters. He explained to investigators that he had overheard a conversation at a restaurant regarding similar letters that had been sent to members of Congress.</p>
<p>During his interview with the FBI, he disclosed that he was aware his powder would likely be interpreted as a potential anthrax threat and expected people to respond in hazmat protective equipment.</p>
<p>He further informed the FBI that the substance was actually salt, stating he deliberately selected salt because of its visual similarity to anthrax.</p>
<p>The FBI conducted a search of Unglesbee's residence and found a fifth letter bearing the address of one of the congresspeople's Washington, DC office.</p>
<p>The FBI additionally established that Unglesbee dispatched the letters on October 19.</p>
<p>Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More</p>
