Briana Boston has been charged with "threats to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism" after making a statement to her health insurers which appeared to be inspired by Luigi Mangione.
Boston, 42, was arrested by Florida's Lakeland Police Department after allegedly threatening her health insurance provider over the phone, telling them: "delay, deny, depose, you people are next," when she was denied medical claims.
This phrase is similar to "delay, defend, depose," which were the three words written on bullets shot at UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The man currently accused of Thompson's murder, Mangione, has been lauded by some over the internet, with people saying that they are empathetic to how anger at the American healthcare system could drive someone to commit a serious crime.
This has sparked fears among CEOs and C-suite executives that there may be copycat killings in the future.
The Lakeland PD contacted the FBI after Boston allegedly made those threats to her health insurance company BlueCross BlueShield on December 10. The insurance provider immediately called the police, who arrested her at her door. She is now being held at the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Boston admitted to officers that she used those words over the phone, and apologized for them, according to 11News.
One lawyer, Anthony Rickman, spoke with Fox13 about the arrest, saying that Boston is facing an "overcharge," and said that her outburst should be covered by freedom of speech.
He said: "It's political hyperbole. If you post something stupid on Twitter, and it's read by somebody who may work for some company, and they're taking it as a threat, then are we going to go and arrest every person on Twitter, because they say stupid things?"
The Lakeland PD have been contacted via email for comment.
Boston appears to be the first person to be charged with making a copycat threat to health insurers. However, speaking with CNN earlier this week, Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary explained why he believes that even with the threat of copycat killings hanging over their heads, CEOs are taking the wrong lesson from the death of Thompson.
O'Leary said that CEO's need to "read the room," when it comes to recent events, and understand that hiring more security is not the answer to people's anger at the current system.
Mangione is currently being held without bail in the State Correctional Institution in Huntington, Pennsylvania. His lawyer has said they are contesting his extradition to New York, and will plead not guilty to his charges in Pennsylvania.
He has received support from his fellow inmates who were heard on NewsNation last night yelling "free Luigi," from their cells.
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