An Illinois man faces multiple felonies after being accused of sending letters containing an unknown white granular substance to members of Congress.
According to a criminal complaint, Matthew G. Unglesbee was “charged with false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications after four members of Congress received the letters, which were marked with his return address,”
Fox News reports.
Unglesbee told the FBI that the letters contained salt and that he mailed them as a joke.
“The FBI says he sent the letters as a fake anthrax hoax,”
Fox News stated.
“He told the FBI he knew recipients would respond with hazmat suits. The FBI got tipped off after someone overheard Unglesbee bragging about the letters at a restaurant,” it added.
An Illinois man allegedly mailed letters filled with white powder to four members of Congress — then put his own return address on every single one.
Matthew G. Unglesbee now faces two felony charges after the FBI says he sent the letters as a fake anthrax hoax, telling law…
pic.twitter.com/IYM3rBsO7f
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics)
October 27, 2026
Fox News shared further:
The tipster allegedly provided authorities with Unglesbee’s full name, address and date of birth.
Members of the FBI’s field office in Chicago responded to the offices of three members of Congress in the northern Illinois area after receiving the tip and a 911 call from one of the congressional offices.
“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 read. This staff member called 911.
The office had already been on high alert, having received a similar letter within the previous few weeks, according to the complaint.
All three letters contained “a white granular substance” and a handwritten letter which read “HA HA,” the complaint stated.
Another letter containing the white substance included a note that said “HAH enjoy the gift,”
NBC News noted.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said she was “aware of reports that a suspect has been taken into custody in connection with the most recent suspicious letter sent” to her district office.
“Today, my Skokie office received a suspicious envelope similar to those reported at other elected officials’ offices in Illinois and across the country. Thanks to warnings from the House Sergeant at Arms, my team quickly identified the suspicious piece of mail and did not open it. We’re grateful to the Skokie Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police for their swift response and assistance,” Schakowsky said last week.
“This will by no means deter me and my team from continuing our work and prioritizing the needs of Illinois’ 9th Congressional District,” she added.
Today, my Skokie office received a suspicious envelope similar to those reported at other elected officials’ offices in Illinois and across the country.
Thanks to warnings from the House Sergeant at Arms, my team quickly identified the suspicious piece of mail and did not open…
— Jan Schakowsky (@janschakowsky)
October 16, 2026
NBC News has more:
The congresswoman received a second suspicious letter on Oct. 21.
“I’m aware of reports that a suspect has been taken into custody in connection with the most recent suspicious letter sent to my Skokie office,” she said in a statement thanking law enforcement. “I will not let threats stand in the way of serving the people of the 9th District. My community relies on the services our office provides, and my team and I will continue doing the work I was elected to do.”
A search of Unglesbee’s residence turned up a fifth unmailed and empty envelope that was addressed to a member of Congress, according to the FBI.
The case began after an anonymous online tipster told the FBI that they overheard Unglesbee talking about mailing a suspicious substance to members of Congress. The tip was received on Oct. 16, and the FBI responded when the letters showed up at the offices of members of Congress three days later.
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Man Faces Felony Charges For Allegedly Sending Letters Containing Unknown White Substance To Members Of Congress appeared first on
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