A Florida woman has been arrested for allegedly threatening a healthcare company, using chilling words eerily similar to those linked to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Briana Boston, who was upset after having a medical claim denied, spoke on a recorded line with a Blue Cross Blue Shield representative, saying, “delay, deny, depose, you people are next.”
These words were reportedly identical to those found on ammunition recovered from the scene of Thompson’s murder.
Now, the woman has been arrested for making threats to carry out an act of terrorism or a mass massacre. Her bond was set by a court at $100,000, reported the BBC.
The language she used was drawn from the book ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’, which critiques the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. In light of Thompson’s recent murder, the representative interpreted her words as a direct threat, and made a call to the FBI.
Detectives from Lakeland, Florida, took Ms Boston into custody on Tuesday after the phone conversation with the healthcare organisation. She later apologised to authorities, saying that she “used those words because it’s what is in the news right now” after becoming aware of the phrase due to the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting. The woman added that she did not possess any firearms and “was not a danger to anyone,” but she believes that “healthcare companies played games and deserved karma from the world because they are evil”.
The arrest comes in the wake of Luigi Mangione’s capture for the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.
The 26-year-old is facing charges related to the shooting. The five-days-long, multi-state manhunt came to an end on Monday when he was arrested in Pennsylvania on gun charges. Since then, the case has generated both support for Mangione and resentment toward the US for-profit health insurance sector as several other clients have faced high costs and claims denials. Law enforcement officials have now issued a warning against potential copycats.
