Reward Offered in White Powder Letters Case

Since 2008, more than 380 letters featuring a postmark from North Texas and containing a white powder substance have been sent to various locations around the country—more than 20 were sent last week alone. All of the letters are believed to have come from the same person, who has taken steps to conceal his activities and prevent law enforcement from finding physical evidence of his crimes, including his fingerprints.

At a press conference in Dallas today, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for these mailings. In a flyer issued at the press conference, the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit provided possible characteristics of the sender. A sample letter was also released, highlighting features common in many of the mailings.

Fortunately, none of the letters—which have been received by schools, day care centers, churches, government offices, U.S. Embassies abroad, restaurants, and other private businesses—have contained hazardous materials. However, no threat is taken lightly. Each incident is treated as a real event, and the response to hoax white powder letters uses law enforcement resources that could be utilized for investigations and emergency response matters.

Anyone with information concerning these letters should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov.