By A Quincy, Illinois, man admitted mailing four letters containing salt to members of Congress after learning of similar mailings earlier this month, according to the FBI.
Matthew Unglesbee made the admission during questioning by federal agents Sunday, the FBI said. He acknowledged knowing recipients would view the letters as dangerous and identified the substance as salt, which he said “kind of looks like” anthrax. He denied involvement in earlier mailings of suspicious substances that authorities are investigating separately.
One letter arrived at a congressperson’s district office on Oct. 21, with a white granular substance visible through the unopened envelope. A search of Unglesbee’s residence later uncovered a fifth envelope addressed to a member of Congress. It was empty and had not been mailed, the FBI said, according to NBC News.
The FBI began investigating after receiving an anonymous tip on Oct. 16. The tipster reported overhearing Unglesbee discuss mailing a suspicious substance to members of Congress. Agents responded after the letters reached congressional offices three days later.
The mailings come amid a wider climate of threats and political intimidation. Republican officials and appointees have faced swatting calls and bomb threats, including several Trump transition nominees in November 2024 and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whose home was targeted by a false report in May. At the same time, researchers have warned that some online communities are normalizing political violence. A 2025 study by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab described an emerging “assassination culture,” finding substantial support among left-of-center respondents for violence against prominent political and business figures.
Authorities have not said Unglesbee’s alleged actions were politically motivated, and the FBI’s account does not connect him to the separate threats or the online rhetoric. The broader investigation into suspicious letters sent in recent weeks to members of Congress and elections officials continues.
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