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Federal agents say Aaron John Sasser of Maryland faces charges after sending violent threats through PrizePicks’ customer service chat.
An affidavit filed in Georgia explains that Sasser grew angry over $50 he claimed was frozen in his account. His frustration quickly turned into graphic threats aimed at company leaders. At one point, he wrote, “I’m driving down to Atlanta to blow up the PrizePicks headquarters and then I’ll head to your house, tie you up and rape your wife in front of you.”
He also threatened to kill executives Adam Wexler and Jay Deuskar, adding antisemitic remarks throughout the exchange.
The chat logs show how quickly the situation escalated. Sasser told staff “I’m currently on the way to Atlanta to kill every PrizePicks team member” and claimed he had an assault rifle loaded with extra magazines.
He even said “I’ve got Mike Ybarra engraved on one of the bullet casings.” Customer service agents, both automated and human, tried to respond, but his messages grew more aggressive. He warned “let everyone in the office know they’ll be dead before noon” and repeatedly named the company’s Atlanta headquarters address.
Case moves forward, Sasser sees gambling ban
PrizePicks provided the FBI with Sasser’s account details, including his email, driver’s license, and a selfie uploaded to his profile. In one message, he introduced himself directly, stating, “Hi. My name is Aaron Sasser. I live in Finksburg, Maryland. And if my $50 doesn’t end up back in my bank account before 5pm today, I’m going to drive down to Atlanta, Georgia and kill everyone in the PrizePicks office.”
Agents say this admission, combined with the violent detail in his threats, gave them probable cause to charge him under federal law for interstate communications containing threats.
Court filings show that Aaron Sasser agreed to waive a preliminary hearing, allowing the case to move ahead without that step. On April 10, he was released into the custody of his father, but the court placed him under strict home confinement. The order requires him to remain at home around the clock, with only limited exceptions for approved travel.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia also barred Sasser from contacting the executives he had threatened, including Mike Ybarra, Adam Wexler, and Jay Deuskar.
Judges added further restrictions: he cannot gamble, enter any gambling venue, or use social media. He is also prohibited from accessing websites that feature real-time customer service chats, the same type of platform he used to send his threats. A public defender has also been appointed for him.
