MIAMI — Dozens of fake bomb threats sent via e-mail on Tuesday aimed to scam Florida school districts, authorities said.
Investigators were working to figure out the origin of e-mails demanding cryptocurrency payments from school administrators in dozens of Florida counties.
The extorter who wrote the hoax e-mails sent on Tuesday to superintendents identified as a representative of “Slittown,” an online extortion gang, according to the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
The demand was “$1,000 via the Ethereum crypto valuta," a blockchain platform for Ether, a cryptocurrency that can be traded for other currencies, according to authorities.
“You got 24 hours till the timer goes off, tick tack,” the author of the hoax e-mail wrote, according to a copy authorities in Holmes and Citrus counties shared on Facebook. “All of you will die and suffer while there will be guts and blood everywhere. HAIL SLITTOWN BEST TERROR GROUP OF ALL TIME. We will bring nothing but spread terror all across the world.”
The Washington County School District and the Sumter County School District released statements describing the e-mail as “swatting” and announced that, although the threat was not credible, there was going to be more law enforcement at schools on Wednesday.
The Brevard County School District released a statement saying the e-mail appeared “to be part of a hoax to solicit money.”
A spokesperson for the Monroe County School District said the superintendent did not receive the e-mail.
Investigators asked anyone with information about the threats in Florida to call Homeland Security at 1-855-352-7233 or the FBI at 1-800-225-5324.
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