MINNESOTA — An ex-Minnesota man who later moved to California is accused of writing more than 150 letters that made threats to President Donald Trump, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and threatened to bomb the Mall of America.
Police say some of the letters they believe were written by 34-year-old Kao Xiong contained white powder, which was later determined to be flour.
“Mental breakdown, that’s all it was,” Tim Zindel, an assistant federal defender representing Xiong, told the Star Tribune.
“Just a crazy person, not a dangerously crazy person. He’s actually very sweet.”
Xiong is currently under house arrest in Minnesota, living with relatives. He is expected to plead guilty in California early next year to charges of conveying false information concerning the use of an explosive.