Perhaps no political family should be more alarmed than Vivek Ramaswamy’s, after their former bodyguard Justin Salsburey was arrested last month on federal drug trafficking charges. Salsburey, 43, worked for a private security company hired to serve as executive protection specialists for Ramaswamy and his family. The security company conducted massive background checks. These were federal screenings by the FBI and state screenings by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. USC’s own checks did not raise any red flags. Salsbury even aced a pre-employment drug test and has never once failed a random drug test.
On December 30, Salsburey and his wife, 38-year-old Ruthann Rankin, were charged with sexual assault. At the time, they were charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics via the United States postal service. The charges stem from the delivery of approximately 261 different packages containing fake OxyContin pills. These mailings were delivered to Salsburey’s home in western Ohio from August to December of 2024. Law enforcement authorities discovered that these pills had been laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, MDMA, and steroids.
Salsburey, who pleaded not guilty, is being held at Franklin County Jail. He should remain in pre-trial custody until his trial starts. Given the gravity of those charges, the resulting outcry has been understandably fierce. Americans are concerned about the integrity and security of those who are charged to protect high-profile individuals.
Connie Luck, a spokesperson for the security firm that employed Salsburey, stated, “Upon being informed of this matter in recent days, the outside security firm immediately removed the individual from the security detail.” She reiterated that Ramaswamy’s family is dedicated to safety and accountability.
“Vivek and his family take matters of safety seriously and support efforts to hold these individuals accountable for these allegations if they are proven,” – Connie Luck
The circumstances of Salsburey’s arrest have left Ramaswamy’s family reassessing their own security. The implications of having a bodyguard involved in such serious criminal activity have raised questions about the vetting processes used by private security firms.