‘Flesh-eating’ hoax on UnitedHealth leaves Las Vegas woman behind bars
A woman has been arrested and charged with terrorism, after allegedly writing a cryptic letter packaged with an unknown substance, and sending it to a UnitedHealthcare office in Las Vegas.
Local media outlet 8 News Now was the first to break the story, calling the letter and powder a “hoax” as it’s since been deemed harmless.
According to KVVU Las Vegas, police have now confirmed the story, after the arrest of Jennifer Forbes, 50, who allegedly admitted to writing the letter, which read: “Choose wisely, I am flesh growing as fungus, under the canopy of natural magic, which comes as an equal trade off, can you take the (illegible) as suffering, as I bear witness, and (illegible) no supp there.”
KVVU said the note also contained Forbes’s name, home address, phone number and details on her primary care provider.
The substance was identified as a yellow and black powder. Fears that it could be a flesh eating pathogen, as suggested, led to the evacuation of the UnitedHealthcare office and a sweep of the ventilation system.
No one was harmed, and the building was eventually deemed safe to re-enter.
The incident happened on June 24. Forbes, who was already on probation, was arrested on June 27. Police said she became “hysterical” while being taken into custody and has demanded representation by an attorney.
Her bail was set at $50,000 and she remains in a Las Vegas jail. A hearing on the two counts of terrorism has been scheduled for July 15.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.