Anthrax Panic Hits Congress

Yellow triangular warning sign with exclamation mark on black background — Photo: Andrii Yalanskyi / Shutterstock

A man is charged with mailing white powder to members of Congress, and agents say he admitted he used a condiment because it looks like anthrax.

Story Snapshot

Federal prosecutors charged Matthew Unglesbee with hoax and threat offenses.
At least four letters with white powder went to Illinois congressional offices.
Notes said “HA HA” and “HAH enjoy the gift,” according to the complaint.
Agents say tests showed the substance was reportedly salt.

Charges, Targets, and What Investigators Say Was Inside

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois charged Matthew G. Unglesbee with mailing threatening communications and false information or hoaxes. The complaint cites federal statutes that cover threats and hoax attacks using fake hazardous materials. Reporters who reviewed the complaint say at least four letters arrived at congressional offices in the Chicago area. Each came in a plain white envelope with handwritten addresses and a white powder inside. Prosecutors say some envelopes included short taunts on paper slips.

News accounts that cite the filing say three letters included the note “HA HA,” and a fourth read “HAH enjoy the gift.” That language will likely serve as evidence of intent to scare, even if the words stopped short of an explicit threat of violence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and responding teams treated the mailings as hazardous until tests cleared them. Later reporting says the powder tested as non-hazardous, and officials described it as salt.

How Agents Linked the Envelopes to a Suspect

Media reports say the envelopes listed Unglesbee’s name and his home address in the return area. That detail gave investigators a direct link to pursue. An affidavit described by the Chicago Sun-Times says Unglesbee admitted mailing the four letters. Agents say he told them he used salt because it looks like anthrax. That alleged statement, if allowed at trial, goes to motive and awareness of the fear such mail can cause. The Department of Justice emphasized these are allegations at the complaint stage.

Reporters also noted small differences in early details, such as his age and exact dates of mailing. Those variations are common in first-day coverage and do not change the core points: four letters, white powder, congressional offices, and a charged suspect. The key facts across outlets agree on the charges, the targets, the taunting notes, and the non-hazardous nature of the substance.

Why Hoax Powders Still Trigger Real Emergencies

Congressional offices and first responders must assume the worst when white powder shows up. After the 2001 anthrax murders, hoax mailings rose and created thousands of callouts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported about 1,000 “white powder events” from 2007 through early 2009, and postal inspectors logged thousands more suspicious-substance responses over two years. That history explains why even a pinch of salt can shut down an office, summon hazmat teams, and drain public resources.

An Illinois man, Matthew G. Unglesbee, is facing federal charges for allegedly sending threatening letters containing a white substance to four members of Congress. https://t.co/vfK0SB6ReA

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 27, 2026

American conservative values demand order, accountability, and respect for public servants. Sending fake biohazard letters attacks that order. It forces police, firefighters, and postal workers to leave real needs to chase a staged scare. If the government proves its case, a firm sentence would signal that wasting emergency resources and sowing fear has a price. That message protects staff in congressional offices and the taxpayers who fund the response.

What Comes Next in the Case

Prosecutors will press the two main charges and present physical evidence, the envelopes, and any lab reports. Defense counsel may challenge whether the brief taunts meet the legal bar for a “threat,” and whether any statement to agents was voluntary and accurate. Judges and jurors often look at the total context: the powder’s look, the target’s role, and the expected reaction. For now, the record shows a unified picture: staged danger, quick emergency response, and a swift federal arrest.