Man Arrested for Sending Fake Ransom Note to Savannah Guthrie's Family

Arrest of Suspected Imposter

• 🚨 A 42-year-old man, identified as Derek Colella, has been arrested in Southern California for allegedly sending a fake ransom demand via text message to the family of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
• 💡 Colella was identified through his email account and taken into federal custody after attempting to profit from the family's distress.
• 🏠 Neighbors reported seeing the FBI at Colella's Hawthorne residence around 4 AM, hearing loud bangs, and observing him being handcuffed and placed in a white van.

The Ransom Demand

• 💬 Colella sent the ransom text to Nancy's family within hours of Savannah Guthrie's emotional plea for her mother's safe return.
• 💰 He is accused of asking for Bitcoin and also of calling a family member, reportedly using a virtual phone number linked to his email account.
• ⚠️ Authorities stated that Colella's ransom demand is not connected to other similar messages sent to news outlets.

Prior Legal Troubles

• ⚖️ Colella is reportedly no stranger to law enforcement, having been charged in October with 12 other individuals for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in state unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while employed by the government.
• 🚫 The LA County DA had previously spoken out about the alleged fraud, stating that such illegal conduct, especially by county employees, would not be tolerated.