TLDR
- Aaron John Sasser of Maryland was arrested for allegedly sending death threats to PrizePicks CEO, founder, and CTO over $50 he couldn’t access in his account
- The threats were made through PrizePicks’ online customer service chat on April 3 and included violent language against executives and their spouses
- PrizePicks forwarded Sasser’s account information and digital ID to the FBI’s Atlanta office
- Sasser was released to his father’s custody under 24-hour home confinement and barred from gambling and social media
- The case adds to a growing pattern of threats against sports gaming industry figures linked to betting disputes
A Maryland man is facing federal charges after allegedly threatening to kill multiple PrizePicks executives over a $50 account dispute. The case highlights a growing concern about threats directed at people working in the sports betting and fantasy sports industry.
Aaron John Sasser was arrested earlier this month following threats he allegedly made through the PrizePicks online customer service chat on April 3. The chat session lasted at least 24 minutes, according to an FBI affidavit.
Sasser specifically threatened to kill PrizePicks CEO Mike Ybarra, founder and Executive Chairman Adam Wexler, and co-founder and CTO Jay Deuskar, the affidavit states. The threats also targeted the executives’ spouses.
The transcript included antisemitic language, according to the statement submitted by Special Agent Joshua Floyd.
“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,” Sasser wrote, according to the affidavit.
A chatbot initially handled the conversation before a customer service supervisor joined the chat. The supervisor warned Sasser that PrizePicks would permanently ban his account and report the interaction to law enforcement.
The company followed through on that warning. PrizePicks sent Sasser’s account information, including his email address, a digital copy of his driver’s license, and a photo from his account, to the FBI’s Atlanta office.
PrizePicks’ Rise and Recent Acquisition
PrizePicks has grown into one of the largest daily fantasy sports operators in the country. The company has drawn investment from figures like poker legend Phil Hellmuth and Baseball Hall of Famer Andruw Jones.
The Georgia-based company initially offered single-player DFS games before expanding into peer-to-peer fantasy contests and prediction markets. In January, Swiss-based Allwyn International closed on a $1.53 billion purchase for a 62.3% stake in the company.
The charges against Sasser were first reported by Matthew Wein, a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security official who publishes the Secure Stakes newsletter on Substack.
“These are the exact types of threats I have been warning about in Secure Stakes,” Wein wrote. “The types of threats that sportsbooks, DFS apps, and sports leagues are not ready for.”
Sasser Released Under Strict Conditions
The case comes as other individuals face charges for making threats against athletes and coaches after losing bets. Several lawmakers and organizations, including the NCAA, have called on states to restrict certain types of wagers to help curb such threats.
According to court documents, Sasser agreed to waive a preliminary hearing. He was released into his father’s custody on April 10.
The court ordered Sasser to remain under around-the-clock home confinement, with limited travel exceptions. He was also ordered not to contact Ybarra, Wexler, or Deuskar, along with others identified in the case.
Sasser is barred from all forms of gambling and cannot enter any gambling establishment. He is also prohibited from using social media or accessing any website with a real-time customer service chat function.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia approved a public defender to serve as his counsel.
