The FBI said Tuesday that an email that appears to have been sent by Matthew Leiblesberger, the subject of the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion, to celebrity podcaster Sean Ryan was indeed from Leiblesberger. It was announced that this has been confirmed.
Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, said in a press conference that law enforcement has not confirmed the actual contents of Libersberger's emails, only that he sent them. He clarified.
“We have seen the document that he sent to the podcast, and we know that he is the one who sent that document, and that is correct,” Evans told reporters.
“We're not talking about content,” Evans added. “So he's talking about feeling like he was being watched and feeling guilty. You can see there's some anguish there, some frustration with the government.”
Army Special Forces soldier Matthew Libersberger and his ex-girlfriend Alicia Allitt. (Alicia Allitt, via AP)
“So there's a lot going on, so we haven't gotten into what's legal and what's not yet,” Evans said. “The only thing is, to the extent that the Pentagon stock mentions sources or methods or anything else that endangers people overseas, it's not made public out of an abundance of caution. But beyond that… We have not looked into his writings to determine what was legitimate and what was in his own head. ”
Three days earlier, Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA agent, released an episode of his podcast, The Sean Ryan Show, in which he interviewed Sam Shumate.
Shumate, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer who has amassed an online following centered on military content, sent an email claiming to be Libersberger before the explosion outside President-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. He said he received it. Before authorities could publicly identify Mr. Libersberger as the subject whose charred body was found inside a Tesla Cybertruck.
New Orleans terrorist, man in Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion, attacks just hours apart Share more links
Shoemate read the email on the podcast. In it, Libersberger theorized that the drone allegedly seen in New Jersey was actually a Chinese “gravity propulsion system,” posing an extreme threat to national security.
He also drew attention to the 2019 US airstrikes in Afghanistan that reportedly caused significant civilian casualties and warned of the dangers of World War II.
Leiblesberger, an Army Green Beret who served two tours in Afghanistan and lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado, expressed concern about being tracked by the federal government and asked Sean to contact him on his podcast. I asked.
Sean paused the interview to check his inbox to see if Libersberger had also written to the show. Sean replied that he had read the email from Liebelsberger.
Libersberger wanted to interview Sean in person or via Zoom to “blow the whistle on our activities in certain locations.” He said he may do so on Dec. 31, 2024, but after that he would “resign.”
Sean and Shumate said they sent the email to the FBI.
Asked why the information sent to the podcaster was important to law enforcement's investigation, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the emails spoke volumes about Libersberger's state of mind and possible intentions. on Tuesday.
“We're very aware of what happened, what didn't happen, everything that's being said on the internet,” McMahill said. “And we're working hard to answer any questions.”
The FBI and Las Vegas Police Department released further evidence on Tuesday that Libersberger died from a self-inflicted shooting and was in the car at the time of the explosion. The podcast speculated otherwise.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Undersheriff Dori Collen showed photos from the investigation into the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump International Hotel during a press conference on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (KM Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal, via AP)
At the press conference, authorities also explained how Libersberger allegedly used generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, to help plan the explosion.
Las Vegas suspect's ex-girlfriend shares text from days ago of him bragging about Tesla Cybertruck: Report
“I believe this is the first incident within the United States that I am aware of where ChatGPT has been used to help individuals build a specific device,” McMahill said.
“So, definitely, this is an alarming moment for us. But it also, which goes back to my last point, is that it's beneficial to us,” the sheriff added. Ta. “We have been proactive about releasing all documents to the extent possible, and we will continue to do so unless we are putting anyone's life at risk. So we will continue to do that.” But yes, 100%. I think ChatGPT was a game changer for us.
Authorities displayed ChatGPT entries during a press conference Libersberger allegedly held to determine the number of explosives needed.
Undersheriff Dori Koren said Libersberger asked a series of questions, including where to buy fireworks, how much to buy them and whether they were comparable to TNT or other types of explosives. Ru. Koren said Libersberger's other questions focused on determining the velocity of a bullet fired from a firearm and whether it would ignite an explosive. Mr. Libersberger is also said to have asked this question. How to buy a cell phone without providing personal identifying information.
OpenAI said in an emailed statement that it strives to ensure its tools are used “responsibly” and that the tools are designed to reject harmful instructions.
This undated photo provided by the Las Vegas Police Department shows a Tesla Cybertruck involved in an explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Police Department, Associated Press)
“In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided a warning of harmful or illegal activity. We are cooperating with law enforcement to assist in the investigation.” mentioned in.
The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people, but caused virtually no damage to the Trump International Hotel. Authorities said Libersberger acted alone.
At the press conference, authorities also said they had discovered a six-page document, or manifesto, but they are not yet releasing it because they are working with Pentagon officials because some of the material could be classified. Not yet.
They added that people still need to check content on their laptops, phones, and smartwatches. Among the items they released Tuesday was a diary kept by Libersberger titled “Surveillance” or “Surveillance” log. It indicated he believed he was being tracked by law enforcement, but he had no criminal history and was not on the “radar” of police departments or the FBI, McMahill said. Ta.
Libersberger's letter touched on domestic and international issues, including political grievances, social problems, and the war in Ukraine. He wrote that the United States is “terminally ill and headed for collapse.”
Investigators were trying to determine whether Libersberger was trying to make a political statement, given Tesla and the hotel named after the president-elect.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Law enforcement officials said Mr. Libersberger had no ill will toward Mr. Trump. In one of his memos, he said the country needed to “bring together” him and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
