A man was charged with allegedly sending letters with white granular substance, which turned out to be salt, to four members of Congress, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Monday in federal court in Springfield, Illinois.
He was allegedly heard about reports of other letters with suspicious substances being sent to senators and secretaries of state around the country, the court documents said.
Matthew Unglesbee allegedly sent the letters to four members of Congress in the Northern District of Illinois, including the office of one U.S. senator, according to the Justice Department.
In one House member’s office, the letter sent felt like it contained a powder substance, which turned out to be salt, the complaint said. The staffer felt something inside the letter and called 911, and subsequently alerted other Congressional offices in the area, according to the complaint.
Inside there was white granular substance, and a note that read “HA HA,” according to the department. In the letter to the U.S senator, it read “HA HA HA enjoy your gift,” the prosecutors allege.
Investigators found the return address on the letters to be Unglesbee’s, according to the court records.
Authorities interviewed him at his home and he allegedly told them he was aware of other suspicious substance letters sent to offices around the country.
“Unglesbee told agents he mailed the four letters to the four members of Congress after hearing someone in a restaurant mention the news story of other letters being mailed earlier this month,” the complaint said. “Unglesbee acknowledged being aware of past mailing of white powder sent in letters including anthrax. Unglesbee said he knew recipients of white powder letters ‘took it serious and would have ‘hazmat come in white suits’ because ‘anthrax is dangerous.'”
He allegedly said he was joking but recognized the recipients of the letter could see the letters as a threat, according to the complaint.
When investigators searched his home, they found a fifth envelope addressed to one of the members’ Washington, D.C., office, the complaint said.
A lawyer for Unglesbee declined comment when contacted by ABC News.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
