A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Texas and charged with sending threatening interstate communications after vowing to assassinate executives at Capital One over an unpaid debt of $543.
Taylor Bullard, a Houston resident, is accused of sending an email earlier this month that threatened violence, claiming the debt was a mistake and ruined his life.
The email, sent in response to a payment plan request from Capital One, led to Bullard’s arrest eight days later. He faces a federal charge of sending threatening interstate communications, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
“Call me before I show up to one of their locations with a machete and gasoline,” Bullard wrote, according to a screenshot of the email included in the affidavit. “You have ruined my ability to buy a home. I’m 34 with a 100k+ job and it’s time I target the people and companies that have ruined my ability to live the life I deserve. I will be coming after your executive team personally. Please call me before I do things that are unforgivable and will make your executive team question their life choices. Thank you, Taylor Bullard”
Zoom in:
- Background of threats: Bullard apparently has a history of making threats, according to law enforcement officials who investigated him, including:
- A 2017 email threatening to release anthrax at an event hosted by another company.
- A 2022 voicemail threatening to use an AK-47 to attack a financial institution.
- Online posts directed at Carvana after a dispute over a defective vehicle.
- FBI involvement: Agents traced the December 12 email to Bullard’s IP address and subpoenaed his email records.
Between the lines: This case comes amid heightened scrutiny of corporate safety following the December 4 shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. These incidents reflect broader concerns over escalating violence against corporate executives.
What’s next:
