Crime
Man Arrested for Causing Anthrax Scare at NYC Gay Bar
Ameen Keshavjee is accused of sending a letter with an unknown powder, among other threats, after being banned from Nowhere Bar.
January 06 2020 9:29 PM EST
dnlreynolds
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Ameen Keshavjee is accused of sending a letter with an unknown powder, among other threats, after being banned from Nowhere Bar.
A man who was banned from a Manhattan gay bar was arrested on a charge of giving it an anthrax scare.
Ameen Keshavjee is accused of sending a letter filled with an unknown powder to Nowhere Bar on December 5. The envelope also contained a threatening message: "Its [sic] called Antrax [sic]. Enjoy," according to court documents, reports the New York Post.
Ultimately, the powder did not test positive as anthrax. However, it sparked a federal investigation that led to the arrest of Keshavjee, who is Canadian.
Keshavjee has a history of intimidating the staff at Nowhere Bar. In February, he was told he could no longer patronize the gay establishment if he continued to harass one of the employees online. The move sparked a series of emails to staffers, in which he allegedly expressed hopes they would die of various causes, including AIDS and the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
"After the way you 3 three s-ts repeatedly harassed, bullied and intimidated me YOU LOW-LEVEL HUMAN garbage decided that **I** crossed a line??? DIE OF AIDS, you leftie, hypocrite, democrat-voting F-KS!!!!!!!!!" read one February email to an employee, which ended with an expressed desire to urinate on the coffins of the staff.
"You miserable f-g s-t. U r a coward, picking on the quietest person in the shop. I hope [your partners] gives u AIDS. I miss my little spot. You f-k," read another email to a staffer.
Authorities traced the anthrax scare to Keshavjee because the stamp affixed to the letter was purchased with his credit card. He was charged Monday with mailing a threatening communication and released on a $20,000 bond.
If convicted, Keshavjee could be deported or jailed for up to five years.
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