Romanian citizen pleads guilty to ‘swatting’ US officials and institutions

A Romanian man has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to leading a widespread swatting and bomb threat campaign that targeted more than 75 public officials, religious institutions, and journalists across the United States. Thomasz Szabo, 26, also known online as “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher,” admitted to orchestrating the years-long conspiracy from abroad, making false reports of violent emergencies in an effort to provoke armed police responses, according to the US Department of Justice.

Szabo, who was extradited from Romania in November 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats involving explosives. He faces up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 23.

As the founder and leader of an online swatting community, Szabo allegedly encouraged followers to engage in similar acts, often boasting about the chaos they caused and the public resources wasted.

Court records show Thomasz Szabo was behind a series of false reports, including a December 2020 threat to commit a mass shooting at synagogues in New York City and a January 2021 threat to bomb the US Capitol and assassinate the then president-elect, the US Department of Justice said.

His group intensified its activities during the 2023 holiday season, targeting at least 25 members of Congress, senior federal and state officials, judges, journalists, and four religious institutions. One associate bragged about carrying out more than two dozen swattings in a single day, claiming to have caused over USD 500,000 in damages through misused emergency responses.

Officials condemned the campaign as a serious national security threat.

“This defendant led a dangerous swatting criminal conspiracy, deliberately threatening dozens of government officials with violent hoaxes and targeting our nation’s security infrastructure from behind a screen overseas,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This case reflects our continued focus on protecting the American people and working with international partners to stop these threats at their source.”

FBI Director Kash Patel added that “swatting endangers lives and will not be tolerated by the FBI,” while US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro warned that these attacks can have deadly consequences and drain law enforcement resources.

The US Secret Service Washington Field Office and Criminal Investigative Division, the FBI’s Washington and Minneapolis Field Offices, and the US Capitol Police are investigating the case.

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