Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced that a Virginia man had been arrested after “threatening to kill the family of Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.”
FCC Chairman Pai recently led the initiative to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality regulation of the internet. Because of this decision, last December, Makara Man had sent Mr. Pai three e-mails to several of his personal and government e-mail accounts. Ominously on one of the emails, Man made the subject line “Cheers,” but the context of the email contained random personal information about Pai’s immediate family. This information included his childrens' names and where the Pai family attended school, reports Politico. He then said, “I will find your children and I will kill them."
After that, FBI officials were able to track Mr. Man down and arrest him in Los Angeles. Apparently, the e-mail from which he sent such threats was “STUBBLEMANLINESS@GMAIL.COM." He chose those e-mail name because, according to the accused, it made him sound “tougher.”
When asked why he made such threats towards the family, Man apologized and attempted to justify his harassment. “[The FCC] pretty much ignored, like, 80 percent of comments ... they ignored 'us,' and just didn't care," Man said according to the affidavit.
"I'm sorry I made a threat against your kids. That was crossing the line. I hope you'll change your mind ... but I doubt it,” said Man’s apology letter to Mr. Pai according to Politico.
