SALT LAKE CITY — The co-founder of FanX was arrested at his Waipahu, Hawaii residence after allegedly making threats to bomb multiple Utah buildings.
Bryan Melvin Brandenburg, 63, now faces charges including one count of transmitting in interstate a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another and one count of conveying false threats through interstate commerce to kill, injure, or intimidate an individual or damage or destroy a building or other real property by means of an explosive.
According to Hawaii officials, Brandenburg sent emails to court personnel in Utah threatening to bomb the 3rd District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, the mayor’s office, the state capitol, every Ivy League school, and the federal courthouse in San Diego.
FOX 13 News obtained transcriptions of the emails Brandenburg sent to the Utah State Courts. Officials reported nine emails they received from Brandenburg between May 3 and May 4.
Among the correspondences, Brandenburg allegedly wrote, "I guess I'll just have to bomb the city," "We're still going to bomb the 3rd District Courthouse. Ha[v]e a nice day," and "Now we're going to bomb the State Capital," "And then....We'll bomb the mayor's office."
In addition to those threats, Brandenburg also allegedly sent emails to media members threatening to bomb the Salt Lake City courthouse, “Hall Labs,” and the University of Utah Center for Medical Innovation.
The emails were sent between May 4 and May 6, officials report. Brandenburg had pending divorce proceedings in a Utah state court at the time he allegedly sent the threats.
University of Utah leaders told FOX 13 News that once they were made aware of the threat, the building was emptied out and bomb sniffing dogs cleared the area.
“Sending threats to kill people or destroy property is a serious matter that we will investigate and prosecute,” said Clare E. Connors, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii in a press release. “It does not matter if the threats are false or made to people and places outside of Hawaii. This conduct causes harm and is unlawful.”
Brandenburg has not been associated with FanX since 2018.
