Are all Nancy Guthrie ransom notes fake? Ex-FBI agent weighs in, ‘Larger network of extortionists…’

Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer has weighed in on the ransom notes that were sent to the media after Nancy Guthrie disappeared.

Published on: Jun 30, 2026, 16:02:56 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer has weighed in on the ransom notes that were sent to the media after Nancy Guthrie disappeared. She agreed with Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who dismissed the notes as fake.

Are all Nancy Guthrie ransom notes fake? Ex-FBI agent weighs in (Savannah Guthrie/Facebook)

“Pima County Sheriff Nanos (He is in charge of the investigation) said the TMZ extortion notes are not legitimate,” Coffindaffer wrote on X. “Of course they are not. So many in the media including creators have received these notes and they all mimic each other- "We will tell you where Nancy is for a Bitcoin."”

She added, “Some have even included AI photos of Nancy suffering. The first 2 notes received by local Tucson media outlets were deemed from the abductors. The other emails trying to extort the Guthrie family are sadistic and likely part of a larger network of extortionists that prey on victim families.”

What Chris Nanos said

Nanos spoke out about his skepticism about the legitimacy of the ransom notes during an appearance on Arizona radio station KVOI AM 1030's ‘Buckmaster Show’ on June 26. He revealed that the FBI is investigating the notes as they continue to partner with the Pima County Sheriff's Department.

"I think the FBI has done a number of arrests for false or fake ransom notes," Nanos said. "It's a shame that that happens, but I think we're looking at another one of those today with what's been reported. But we'll let the FBI do their work."

Nanos added that "it is a shame that these type of events occur," because "people have great interest, and that's good because it helps us, but then it gets really gets abused."

"People who call in fake ransom notes, people who claim [false information] for the sake of media and the family, they get out and disturb, in this case, an entire neighborhood," Nanos said.

Nancy has been missing for over four months now, with no suspects having been identified in her abduction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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