Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer shared details with Newsweek about receiving four ransom notes related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Coffindaffer believes these messages were from scammers aiming to exploit the public’s interest in the case. She received four emails over two days demanding bitcoin payment for Guthrie’s release, accompanied by an AI-generated image of Guthrie.
Coffindaffer explained, “I never responded to any of them. I went straight to the FBI with them.” She also mentioned speaking out now because she suspects the same individuals contacted Guthrie’s neighbor, Lauren Serpa. Serpa reported receiving a ransom demand in September, claiming Guthrie was alive in Mexico, with instructions to send bitcoin for her release. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department declared this note “not credible.”
“Anyone receiving a message about Nancy Guthrie should report it to law enforcement,” the sheriff’s department advised. “Be cautious, as scammers may try to exploit the situation. Do not send money or personal information in response to unsolicited messages.”
The Nancy Guthrie investigation remains active. Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on January 31 at her home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona. She was reported missing the following day. Authorities suspect abduction or kidnapping, and blood drops were found near her doorstep. In February, the FBI released footage of a suspect outside Guthrie’s home on the night of her disappearance.
The Ransom Emails
Coffindaffer revealed the emails Newsweek reviewed were sent to a private email address known to few. “Finding it in my personal email was concerning,” she said. The first email arrived on April 10 at 12:30 p.m., featuring only an AI-generated image of Guthrie. A second email at 12:37 p.m. demanded 25 bitcoins for Guthrie’s release, quoting a Bible reference and the same image.
“Nobody sees Mrs. Nancy Guthrie without me. I need 25 BTC to bring her home within 12 hours; she’s alive,” the email read. Similarities were noted between this image and one sent to Serpa. At 3:52 p.m. the same day, a third email restated the 25 bitcoin demand. A fourth message on April 11 reduced the ransom and provided a QR code for a bitcoin wallet. Coffindaffer and Serpa confirmed matching wallet addresses but Newsweek has not verified this.
Targeted by Scammers
Coffindaffer believes she was targeted due to her public advice to Guthrie’s family on handling ransom notes. She advocated for “tickling the wire,” a tactic encouraging engagement with threats to uncover identities. Coffindaffer expressed suspicion that organized extortion rings, tracking these cues, exploited the case’s visibility.
Despite the notes, Coffindaffer never believed they came from those behind Guthrie’s disappearance. “These are extortionists,” she told the FBI, noting she and an agent agreed the notes sought financial gain, not genuine negotiation.
The sentencing of Derrick Callella, who harassed Guthrie’s family with fake ransom notes, set a concerning precedent. Facing up to two years in prison, he received concurrent five-year probation terms. Coffindaffer warned about extortionists targeting families and followers of missing person cases, making significant money through deception.
“They target those vulnerable to emotional manipulation,” she said, urging recipients of such communications to report them to the FBI. “Do not pay, contact the FBI,” she advised.
Past Ransom Notes
In July, authorities released two ransom notes from the early days of Guthrie’s case, hoping someone recognized the writing style. A note sent on February 2 to a Tucson TV station demanded $4 million in bitcoin and threatened Guthrie’s life if unpaid, referencing specific details from her home. A second note on February 6 claimed she died shortly after being taken, stating, “She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome.”
The FBI’s Phoenix office announced some ransom notes were deemed fake extortion attempts, yet others “may be legitimate” and remain under investigation.
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