House & Senate e-mail Threat

STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE

Threatening Email, Scam Sent to Vermont House and Senate Members

Detective Lieutenant Tim Oliver, Vermont State Police - Bureau of Criminal Investigations

Waterbury, VT – 01/25/2012 – Today, Wednesday January 25, at approximately 7:30AM the Vermont State Police were notified by members of the Vermont Senate of a threatening email they had received. As the morning progressed numerous members of both the House and Senate reported receiving the same message. The Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations assigned a detective to investigate the scam and attempt to track these emails.

The Vermont State Police take seriously all threats made against citizens of Vermont, and will investigate the incident to the fullest extent of our ability. That being said, this is a common scam used by persons in other countries to extort money from people believing that this is a legitimate threat. These emails usually emanate from developing countries and we have seen this scam used numerous times in the past. Rest assured, this is a scam and not a legitimate threat; there is no danger. Below is the threatening email, in full.

ATTN.
LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY ,THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN CONTACT YOU, MY TEAM
HAS BEEN PAID TO ASSASSINATE YOU, I HAVE EVERY REASON TO CARRY OUT THE
CONTRACT,BUT I DECIDED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE AND SAVE YOUR FAMILY THIS
PAIN,THIS YOUR ALTERNATIVE,I WISH TO HELP YOU UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT TO
HELP YOUR SELF,I WILL SEND YOU ENOUGH EVIDENCE YOU NEED ON A VIDEO
TAPE RECORD TO NAIL MY EMPLOYER DOWN WITH THE LAW.

BEFORE THAT YOUR REQUIRED TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE SUM OF $10,000. USD
AFTER WHICH I WILL DIRECT YOU ON WHAT TO DO NEXT TO SAVE YOUR SELF AND
YOUR FAMILY FROM THIS PAIN THAT WOULD HAVE BEFALLED YOU FROM MY
EMPLOYER,THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO SETTLE THE TEAM MEN INVOLVED TO GO
BACK TO THERE DESTINATIONS AND YOU BETTER KEEP THIS INFORMATION TO
YOUR SELF BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IS WHO WHERE YOU ARE NOW,IF HE
FINDS OUT I HAVE BETRAYED HIM TRYING TO HELP YOU,YOU WILL HAVE YOUR
SELF TO BLAME, I HAVE ORDERED MY MEN TO STAY AWAY FROM YOU.

DO WE HAVE A DEAL OR NOT ?

NOTE: YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS HERE, (1)YOU HAVE TO GET HIM ARRESTED WITH
THE INFORMATION I WILL GIVE YOU AFTER THE PAYMENT OR ( 2)YOU HAVE HIM
KILLED TO SAVE YOUR SELF.

I WILL VISIT YOUR HOUSE AGAIN BUT NOT NOW,MY BOYS EYES ARE ON YOU SO
GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBL

The names of the members of the Vermont House and Senate that received these threats are being withheld for security purposes. For media questions, please contact the Vermont State Police Public Information Officer, Stephanie Dasaro, at 802-279-9773.