A woman has been accused of threatening a health insurance company by repeating words carved on bullet casings found at the scene of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Briana Boston, 42, is accused of saying “Delay, deny, file, you’re next” while speaking on a recorded line with a Blue Cross and Blue Shield representative about a claim medical treatment refused.
Ms. Boston, originally from Florida, was charged with threatening to commit a mass shooting or committing an act of terrorism. A judge set his bail at $100,000 (£78,900).
Following Tuesday’s phone call with the American health care company, local media reported that detectives from Lakeland, Florida, showed up at Ms. Boston’s home and arrested her.
The Lakeland Police Department and Ms. Boston’s attorney, Jim Headley, did not respond to requests for comment.
Ms. Boston allegedly told police that “health care companies are playing games and deserve the world’s karma because they are bad.”
She said she used the words linked to Mr Thompson’s killer “because that’s what’s in the news right now”.
Police said shell casings found at the scene in Manhattan were marked “deny,” “defend” and “depose.”
These words echo the title of a 2010 book: “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” »
Luigi Mangione, 26, is charged with Mr. Thompson’s murder. He was arrested Monday in Pennsylvania on gun charges, ending a dayslong, multistate manhunt that appeared to have few leads.
The case sparked support for Mr. Mangione and anger at the U.S. for-profit health insurance industry because some customers faced high costs and had their claims denied.
Law enforcement officials also warned of possible copycats. The New York Police Department said some health care officials were on a “hit list” posted online in connection with Mr. Thompson’s killing.
Authorities allegedly alleged that Ms. Boston used “the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO to her advantage” to make a threat against the insurance company.
“She’s been in this world long enough that she should definitely know better… You can’t make threats like that in the current environment we live in and think we’re not going to follow through and put you in jail,’” Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said, according to local media.
When she appeared in court, Mr Headley urged the judge to release her while the case progressed, arguing his client was a 42-year-old married mother of three who had “never done subject to criminal charges or convictions.
The judge set his bail at $100,000, citing “the status of our country at this point.”
Ms. Boston appeared to gasp in response to the judge’s ruling.