Cesar Sayoc
Cesar Sayoc, the suspect in the string of suspicious packages that were sent to prominent Democratic critics of President Donald Trump, including former presidents, is the son of an immigrant from the Philippines and a Brooklyn-born mother.
A sense of the suspect’s biography is slowly starting to emerge. For one, according to Florida voter records, he is 56-years-old and is a registered Republican. A van covered with political decals was towed by authorities from an Auto Zone business in Plantation, Florida. Photos of the van show it was covered with decals of President Donald Trump and other Republican oriented materials. Sayoc also was active on social media, where he touted Republicans and trashed Democrats in memes and other posts. Photos and videos showed him at pro Trump rallies wearing a Make America Great Again hat. You can see those photos and videos here.
MORE: Image taken at earlier date shows white van covered in decals of Pres. Trump, targets over the likenesses of Hillary Clinton, former Pres. Obama, filmmaker Michael Moore; it’s believed to be same van at scene of suspect’s arrest in Plantation, Fla. t.co/gsq71KV0gB
What’s known about Cesar Sayoc’s family? Here’s what you need to know:
Sayoc’s Grandmother Once Took Out a Domestic Violence Injunction Against Him & He Was Recently Kicked Out of His Mother’s Home
Facebook/Cesar Sayoc
Sayoc had been living with his mother, the former Madeline Altieri, in recent years, according to court documents. He filed for bankruptcy in 2012 while living with her. According to CNN, his mother and stepfather kicked him out recently and he was living in his van.
In 1994, his grandmother, Viola Altieri, filed a domestic violence injunction against him. It was later dismissed at her request. His grandmother was also listed in court documents as having bailed him out of jail during other arrests. Viola Altieri died at age 92 in 2006. The obituary lists her daughter, the suspect’s mother, as “Madeline (John) Sayoc Giardiello of Aventura.”
Sayoc’s mother learned about her son’s arrest from a hospital bed after having surgery, the family lawyer told WSVN-TV, adding that the suspect is “mentally ill and insecure.” According to CBS Miami, Sayoc’s mother is president of the condo association where she lives. “She has served the Board of Directors well for the past 18 years and she is a nice woman. It is amazing how these things just happen. It is crazy and unbelievable. I have not seen her son around her,” one neighbor told the television station.
Sayoc’s Dad Was an Immigrant From the Philippines
The naturalization record of Sayoc’s father
Sayoc’s mother is from Brooklyn and his father, Cesar Sayoc Sr., was from the Philippines. The Miami Herald reports that his father was an immigrant from that country and “was naturalized in 1970 in North Miami Beach.” Heavy has obtained Sayoc’s dad’s naturalization record from Ancestry.com, which you can read above.
The immigration record says the father, who spelled his name Ceasar Sayoc, came from Manila and was living in North Miami Beach. He arrived in the United States in 1956, the record states. Ancestry records indicate Sayoc’s father died in 2009 and received a social security number in California. The Miami Herald reports that this Ceasar Sayoc is believed to be the suspect’s father.
In the immigration records, Sayoc’s mother indicated she was born in Brooklyn, New York and was a citizen. The parents met while attending beauty school, according to the record from Ancestry.com. Florida corporation records show Sayoc’s mother has run several businesses in Florida, including one that appears to be a beauty salon.
State of Florida corporation records show that the suspect had two registered businesses: Native American Catering & Vending and VER TECH AG.
Despite posts he wrote on social media, the Seminole tribe says it has no record that Sayoc is a member.
Sayoc Claims to Come From a Family Involved in Martial Arts in the Philippines But Things He Wrote on LinkedIn Aren’t All True
Broward County Cesar Sayoc
Sayoc claimed on his LinkedIn page that his grandfather, Col. Baltazar Zook Sayoc, was a martial arts practitioner who created his own style of fighting, Sayoc Kali. Sayoc claimed in the post that the style was used to fight the Communist Party of the Philippines. Here is a website that explains the fighting style. Sayoc included the details about his family in a LinkedIn section in which he also claimed to have studied veterinary medicine.
However, High Point University said in a statement that what the suspect wrote on LinkedIn about that university was false. “Cesar Altieri Sayoc never attended nor applied to High Point University,” the university stated in an email.
Here’s what he wrote about his family in the LinkedIn post:
Brevard College, N.C./Univ of N.C. at Charlotte
Degree Name BA
Field Of Study Business, Finance, Economics , Biology,, Veterinary Medicine Graduate 2021 from High Point Univ.
Dates attended or expected graduation 1980 – 1984
Career decision of becoming a Horse Doctor was always a love for animals, which were here first and never do anything to anyone. And respect all living things. My family very sound Sayoc name in Medical field Grandfather Col. Baltazar Zook Sayoc that perfect the conversion oriental eye to Americanize. The first plastic surgeon to be observed by 8 million people in NY city Hospital. He over through Communist Philippines liberated island. He built all hospitals in Philippines islands and sets standards highest level. Most surgeon use his instruments which are patented. And a lot surgeon use today. Also Sayoc intl. schools marshals arts Kali that used to over throw communist party . Also one 5 Hero’s disciplinary my mother Madeline Sayoc Giardiello First president Pharmacy Cosmetic Association, Who Who Business Women of Year, Soul buyer consultant for Home Shopping Network, head number 1 marketing consul in World Aventura Marketing consul, up for city counsel women Aventura.
A May 1960 article in the New Castle News from New Castle, Pennsylvania shows that there was a doctor from the Philippines who “made an intensive study of surgical correction of slant eyes.” (That’s in the words of the newspaper, showing how racist language was sometimes common in newspapers of the time). However, that article gives the name of that doctor as Lt. Col. Burgos T. Sayoc, not Baltazar Zook Sayoc, and there’s no confirmation he’s related to Cesar Sayoc. Two different obits of family members of Burgos Sayoc or his wife Severina don’t mention Cesar Sayoc or his dad.
The suspect also wrote on LinkedIn that he was a “Promoter, booking agent Live entertainment, owner, choreographer.” Sayoc was working at a strip club. His cousin, who declined to be identified, told NBC News that Sayoc was a “lost soul” whose brain was affected from taking steroids.
The cousin told NBC that Sayoc worked as a dancer and bouncer at strip clubs, telling the network, “He’s always been a little bit of a loose cannon. He’s always been a lost soul. Too many steroids in his day. That stuff will melt your brain.”
The Kali Sayoc school in New York condemned the crimes and said in a statement that it has no knowledge of Sayoc.
Sayoc Touted Republicans on Social Media & Praised Donald Trump
Some photos from his now deleted Facebook page showed him holding a pro Trump sign and wearing a Make America Great Again hat. He also wrote, “Happy Birthday President Donald J. Trump the greatest result President ever.”
A video from a Trump rally posted to his Twitter page contains the chants “Trump, Trump, Trump.” Here is that video.
One photo appeared to show Cesar Sayoc at the presidential inauguration.
At the inauguration
Sayoc’s Twitter page contains this tweet referring to Trump, “Happy Birthday greatest Commander Chief disruptor shake Washington upside down.we Unconquered Seminole Tribe current serving, Seminole Vets, Son Seminole Code Talkers. Thank you for all you do against everyone and not be stopped ever.Straight ahead get it done awesome build Wall.” In a similar post, he changed the wording slightly, writing, “Happy Birthday the. Greatest results disruptor n Chief President ever Trump Trump Trump.We Unconquered Seminole,Miccouskee Tribes,Seminole Hard Rock Worldwide millions of our customers,Seminole American Top Team,Warrior Boxing, say thank you and appreciation.”
One woman wrote on Twitter that she had reported his page previously, writing, “Hey @Twitter remember when I reported the guy who was making threats towards me after my appearance on @FoxNews and you guys sent back a bs response about how you didn’t find it that serious. Well guess what it’s the guy who has been sending #bombs to high profile politicians!!!!”
On Facebook, where his page is now deleted, he also posted political photos favoring Trump and Republicans.
Facebook photos dating back to 2016 of package bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc
The photos and videos on Sayoc’s Facebook page showed him at Trump rallies.
In addition, Sayoc, 56, of Florida, drove a van that was covered with pro Trump and Republican decals and stickers. He was also a registered Republican, according to Florida voter records. In one post, he wrote, “Keith Ellison busted lies about fake day care Somalias 100 million dollar rip off of all Americans. The Somalia refugees laundering US money finance terrorist in Somalia . It time America we step up get rid all democrat scams rip off Media hid s (sic).”
You can read more about Cesar Sayoc here.
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