Kou Wei Chiu, 31, a Nashville physician, allegedly phoned in three bomb threats to try to delay the departure of a flight he had missed last week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Chiu's attorney, Peter Friedman, said in court hearings that Chiu had not taken his medication -- Effexor -- for several days while on a business trip to Seattle prior to making the alleged bomb threats and Chiu's actions may have been due to withdrawal symptoms he was experiencing as a result of not taking the Effexor.
Chiu has been charged with one count of providing false information or threats about an explosive device on an airplane. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. (Source: David Bowermaster, Seattle Times, Jul 30, 2007).