Bumble user tips off FBI about their match who bragged about participating in the Capitol riots

"It's a match" has a new meaning on dating apps after a Capitol Hill rioter was nabbed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in the violence that occurred on January 6. The Texas man, identified as Andrew Quentin Taake, matched with a Bumble user to whom he bragged about his participation in the riots. His would-be date promptly alerted the FBI who carried out a thorough investigation to confirm his identity and his involvement in the riot. According to NBC News, Taake, 32, has been accused of pepper-spraying and assaulting police officers and was arrested on Friday. 

The unidentified Bumble match tipped off officials about the confessions made by Taake. The user asked if he had been “near all the action”, to which Taake responded by saying he was pepper-sprayed by police after gathering to protest the presidential election results. The user sent screenshots of Taake's conversation as well as a picture he sent unprompted, from the Capitol. Speaking of his selfie in which he was wearing a gray beanie and had his face covered with a gaiter, he said, “About 30 minutes after being sprayed. Safe to say, I was the very first person to be sprayed that day … all while just standing there.”

As per court documents, Taake's Bumble match had also furnished location details of his whereabouts as of January 6. Bumble provides users with the location information and it placed Taake in Alexandria, Virginia, a town near Washington, D.C. Through the months-long investigation, the FBI was able to crosscheck his number with the flight booking details. He had booked a Spirit Airlines ticket to Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. They were also able to locate him using videos and photographs that were posted publicly. FBI further concluded his identity by showing his pictures to a FedEx delivery driver who had, minutes before, delivered a package to Andrew Taake at his home address.

The investigations revealed that Taake was “using what appears to be a metal whip and pepper spray to attack law enforcement officers.” The Washington Post reported that body-camera footage provided by D.C. police shows Taake emerging from the crowd of rioters and proceeded to pepper-spray the officers. He is then seen retreating and then can be seen “striking officers with a weapon that appears to be a whip,” as per what the federal agent wrote. He also made it into the building with other rioters and was caught on security cameras walking down the aisles with his whip still in his hand.

Taake has been charged with obstruction of an official proceeding, felony assaulting police, obstruction of law enforcement, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, demonstrating in a Capitol building, and engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds. He is just one among more than 535 individuals to be arrested for breaching the Capitol and one of the more than 165 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. He is also not the only rioter who was captured through Bumble. Robert Chapman was also turned over to the police after he showed off to a Bumble match about storming the Capitol. The same type of thorough investigation was carried out and Chapman was arrested by the FBI as well.

“Bumble prohibits content that promotes racism or encourages any illegal activity including terrorism and the incitement of violence,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to The Washington Post. “Additionally, the spreading of misinformation, such as disputing the certified results of the U.S. Election, is prohibited.” Other dating apps like Tinder and Match began banning users who shared images from the riot.