A PrizePicks user who claimed to have lost $50 on the platform has been arrested after sending graphic threats to staff. Aaron John Sasser said he was on his way to the company’s office in Atlanta, Georgia, armed and ready to blow up the building.
Sasser began sending the threatening messages on April 3 at around 7 a.m. He named PrizePicks CEO Mike Ybarra, stating, “Hey there Mike Ybarra. You better leave town because 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 then sent similar threats to co-founders Adam Wexler and Jay Deuskar, according to an unsealed affidavit.
Chatbots Fail to Grasp Severity of Threats
The PrizePicks automated chatbot responded, “I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling this way. Would you like me to connect you with a human agent? Or if you want, you can share more about what’s on your mind and I’ll do my best to help.”
It took some time before a human agent came on the line. In the meantime, Sasser said he was already on his way to the office “to kill every PrizePicks team member.“
“Got my AR fully loaded & and extra two mags,” he added. “I’ve got Mike Ybarra engraved on one of
the bullet casings”.
The PrizePicks support staff responded, “I’m so sorry for this inconvenience. Please allow me a few moments to look into this for you.”
Sasser recognized the lack of urgency at the other end of the line, adding, “Wonder if you’ll get the point before everyone is dead, Mike Ybarra”.
Loss of $50 Triggers Threats
Sasser went on to indicate that the threats were over $50 he had lost on the platform. In Maryland, where he resides, PrizePicks offers both DFS games and prediction markets launched in partnership with Kalshi.
Sasser did not detail what he had lost money on, but threatened, “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.”
The support staff said that if he did that, then his account would be banned.
The last message from support staff came at 7:17 a.m., over 20 minutes after the first graphic threats. A support staff member wrote, “I am sorry to hear that you are upset. May I please have the email address on account?”
Sasser responded, “You have my email address you dumb b****!”
Threats Carry Lengthy Prison Sentence
It is unclear if he genuinely intended to follow through on the threats. The criminal complaint claims he transmitted “an interstate threat to kidnap or injure.”
If convicted, the crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years due to the graphic threats involving explosives.
Following his arrest, Sasser was released into the custody of his father, but the court placed him under strict home confinement.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia also barred Sasser from contacting the named PrizePicks executives, engaging in any form of gambling, and contacting real-time customer support services.
Athletes are frequently sent threatening messages by gamblers, but it is rarer for company executives to be targeted.
PrizePicks has not publicly responded to the case, but its terms and conditions state, “We do not tolerate any abuse or harmful treatment toward our support representatives, or any other PrizePicks employee. If our chat transcripts indicate that you directed abusive or otherwise threatening language toward our staff, we reserve the right to permanently remove your live support privileges and terminate your account.”
