After ransom notes demanded one bitcoin in exchange for information on the Nancy Guthrie case, a former FBI agent is sharing one tactic investigators could use.
Jennifer Coffindaffer told Newsweek that investigators could “tickle the wire,” a federal law enforcement tactic in which investigators take action to get a target to reveal incriminating details.
“Tickling the wire in this case would be putting half a bitcoin and seeing what happens to it,” Coffindaffer said. “Do they take it? Do they convert it to pesos? It’s internationally tracked. How does it come out into currency? Do they just leave it there?”
Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing from her home near Tucson, Arizona, since February 1. Authorities are treating the case as a kidnapping, especially with the recovery of doorbell camera footage of a masked man at the house’s front door.
On Monday, TMZ received two new ransom notes from someone claiming to have information on the kidnappers. In the first note, the sender said their previous offer to provide information for the price of one Bitcoin still stands.
“It’s unbelievable that millions have been wasted and yet here I am willing to deliver them on a silver platter since the 11th of February for a bitcoin but I am disregarded as a scam,” they wrote. “They are free and the case is frozen but the ego’s [sic] remain hot when it comes to me. Arrogance at it’s [sic] finest.”
In the second note, the sender claimed they saw Nancy “alive with them in the state of Sonora Mexico.”
Coffindaffer said she believes the ransom notes are a scam, since the sender isn’t seeking the $1.2 million in reward money offered through official channels. The ex-FBI agent told Newsweek it’s “very unlikely” the person behind the ransom notes has information on the Nancy Guthrie case, but she still thinks it would be worth it to pay a half-Bitcoin to identify that sender.
“Once it’s gone, it’s going to be gone. But I would want that last bread crumb. I think it would be worth it to me,” Coffindaffer said. “Minimally, you might be able [to] get this extortionist off the street. For $34,000, that’s a cheap price.”
More Headlines:
- Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella Performance Drops Jaws With Iconic TV & Movie Star Cameos
- Nancy Guthrie Update: Ex-FBI Agent Explains How to Respond to Ransom Notes
- Will Gibbs Be Injured in the ‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 2 Finale?
- Bill Maher Makes Bold Declaration About Cesar Chavez After Sexual Assault Allegations
- ‘Gold Rush’: Tyson Lee Gets Emotional Amid Ex-Crew Member’s Leukemia Battle
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.