Pipe Bomber Unmasked: Affidavit Reveals How FBI Identified Brian Cole

After nearly five years, the January 6 pipe bomber was arrested by the FBI on Thursday.

Brian Cole, 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was taken into custody and charged with use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.

Cole planted pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, the night before the Capitol riot.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on said during a press conference on Thursday that the FBI solved the case without any new tips or witnesses.

The FBI identified Cole based on his phone pings and transaction history on his credit cards, according to an affidavit:

The FBI has identified one bank checking account and six credit cards (the “Accounts”) used by COLE. The FBI obtained records for the checking account and three credit cards for the time period January 2018 to January 2021. Three additional credit cards were obtained for the time period of January 2018 to November 2025. The FBI reviewed the transaction history for all of these Accounts.

During 2019 and 2020, COLE purchased multiple items consistent with the components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs placed at the RNC and DNC. COLE used the Accounts to purchase these items from physical retail locations in northern Virginia, as described in more detail below:

• Both pipe bombs were manufactured using a 1” x 8” galvanized pipe with markings consistent with a particular manufacturer’s (the “Pipe Manufacturer”) product labeling. COLE purchased a total of six galvanized pipes of this size and shape on or about June 1, June 8, and November 16, 2020. The purchases were made at two different Home Depot location in northern Virginia. According to the Pipe Manufacturer, approximately 26,000 of these items from Pipe Manufacturer were sold in 2020, and over 22,000 of these items were sold to Home Depot.

• Both pipe bombs were manufactured using “end caps,” which were used to close the ends of the eight-inch pipe. The pipe bombs placed outside the RNC and DNC contained a mix of both black and galvanized end caps. The end caps had markings consistent with Pipe Manufacturer’s product labeling. COLE purchased a total of 12 black end caps and 2 galvanized end caps from four different Home Depots in northern Virginia on or about the following dates: October 22, 2019, and March 10, June 20, July 8, and November 16, 2020. According to the Pipe Manufacturer, approximately 233,000 of the black end caps from Pipe Manufacturer were distributed in 2020, including to Home Depot. In addition, approximately 179,200 galvanized end caps from Pipe Manufacturer were distributed in 2020, including to Home Depot.

• Both pipe bombs were manufactured using a nine-volt (9V) battery connector with attached red and black wires. The nine-volt battery connectors used in the pipe bombs had identifying information on the black and red insulated wires that were consistent with those distributed in North America by a known company and its predecessors (the “Nine Volt Distributor”). COLE purchased five of the Nine Volt Distributor’s nine-volt battery connectors from Micro Center in northern Virginia on or about November 12 and December 28, 2019, including cash purchases made during the December transaction. Fewer than 8,000 of Nine Volt Distributor’s nine-volt battery connectors were distributed in the United States between December 2017 and January 5, 2021.

• Both pipe bombs were manufactured using a white kitchen-style timer. COLE purchased two white kitchen timers from a Walmart in northern Virginia on or about June 3, 2020.

• Both pipe bombs used a mix of 14-gauge red and black electrical wire. COLE purchased 14-gauge electrical wire in red and black on or about May 23 and October 22, 2019, and on or about September 27, October 7, and November 24, 2020. COLE’s purchases of 14-gauge red and black electrical wire were made from one Home Depot and one Lowes location in northern Virginia.

• Both pipe bombs were packed with steel wool. COLE purchased steel wool from a Home Depot in northern Virginia on or about December 4, 2020.

In addition to purchasing each type of component used to make the pipe bombs, COLE purchased equipment that would facilitate the manufacturing of a pipe bomb. Such items included:

• Safety glasses on or about July 8, 2020;
• A wire stripping tool on or about November 14, 2020;
• Wire nuts, which are used to join wires together, on or about November 14, 2020;
• Sandpaper on or about November 21, 2020;
• A machinist’s file, a tool for shaping and smoothing metal parts, on or about November 21, 2020; and
• Protective gloves and disinfecting wipes on or about November 24, 2020.