Brian Cole: Does DC pipe bomb suspect run a bail bonds business? Fact-checking claims

Fresh reporting on Brian Cole Jr., DC pipe bomb suspect, suggests that he ran a bail-bonds business. Here's what we know so far

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has named Brian Cole Jr.,30, as the suspect arrested in connection with the January 6, 2021, pipe bombs planted outside the headquarters of both the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The arrest on December 4, 2025, marks a major breakthrough in a nearly 5-year-long investigation.

Law enforcement officials examine a vehicle in front of the home of suspected January 6, 2021 pipe bomber Brian Cole(Getty Images via AFP)

According to multiple reports, Cole worked at a bail-bonds company, alleging involvement in the bombings was part of a larger, organised network.

Authorities had not yet publicly disclosed the formal charges against Cole at the time of his arrest.

Potential links to underground networks or criminal financing

In a recent release of information from the U.S. District Court, it is mentioned that Cole works in the office of a bail bondsman in northern Virginia.

The suspect was formally arrested after nearly five years. FBI officials told the press that old video footage and archival evidence were re-examined under a renewed investigative push before they settled on a suspect.

Surveillance footage from the night of January 6, 2021, shows the suspect wearing a grey sweatshirt, mask, gloves, and glasses, as well as a pair of distinctive Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers.

These details had long eluded investigators due to the suspect's disguised identity and pandemic-era face coverings.

A Washington Post report said that as part of the continuing probe, investigators have in prior years used “a coast-to-coast digital dragnet,” examining phone-tower data, cell-phone records, surveillance footage and credit-card transactions linked to bomb-component purchases. This was before the suspect’s identification.

However, no business-entity audits, bail-bond ledgers, or money-trail investigations specifically tied to bail-bonds operations are part of the investigative process accounts.

Cole's bombing attempt was not fruitful

The two pipe bombs, placed near both the RNC and DNC offices on the night of the protest, were never detonated. They were rendered safe the following morning before they could harm bystanders.

FBI officials earlier had called the bombs “potentially lethal,” saying they could have caused “serious injury or death” if they had exploded in a populated area.

With Cole in custody, investigators are working to confirm the extent of his alleged involvement, whether he acted alone, and whether the bail-bonds link, if true, points to additional suspects or financial backers.