Man Charged with Threatening FBI Director Patel’s Girlfriend

A Cambridge, Massachusetts man has been charged with sending a threatening email to Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel. Alden Welch Ruml, 26, was arrested on Friday, March 20, 2026, and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, according to federal prosecutors in Boston. The Jerusalem Post and The Boston Globe reported on the arrest.

Details of the Threat

The email was allegedly sent on February 28, 2026, to an address found on Wilkins’ social media page while she was in Arizona. Wilkins, a country singer, informed FBI agents about the threatening message during an interview on March 2, according to an FBI affidavit. The affidavit identifies Wilkins as “Person 1” and Patel as “Federal Official.”

Ruml allegedly wrote “Watch your back” and included other threatening statements in the email. Wilkins reported being frightened by the email and altered her travel plans as a result. The Boston Globe detailed the contents of the affidavit.

Motivation and Investigation

The FBI alleges that Ruml admitted to authoring the email after learning that Patel had assigned SWAT agents to protect Wilkins. This detail stemmed from a February 28th report in The Recent York Times, which stated that Patel had assigned SWAT agents to provide security during Wilkins’ “singing appearances, personal engagements and errands.” Former agents told the Times that the level of protection was “unprecedented.”

Ruml allegedly became upset after reading the news article. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly reported on this motivation.

Legal Proceedings

Ruml appeared in U.S. District Court in Boston on March 13, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was released on personal recognizance and ordered to attend mental health counseling pending the prosecution. He is scheduled to return to court on April 14. Universal Hub first reported on the charges.

Ruml is being represented by Boston defense attorneys Daniel N. Marx and William W. Fick.