A Romanian national has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a dangerous “swatting” conspiracy that targeted over 100 high-profile Americans including a former U.S. President, putting lives at risk and straining law enforcement resources across the nation.
At a Glance
- Thomasz Szabo, 26, admitted to leading a swatting ring that targeted approximately 100 public officials, including members of Congress and a former President
- Szabo conspired with Serbian national Nemanja Radovanovic to make false 911 calls and bomb threats beginning in December 2020
- Targets included government buildings, houses of worship, private residences, and senior officials from both political parties
- After being extradited from Romania in November, Szabo pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making bomb threats, with sentencing scheduled for October
Foreign National Admits to Orchestrating Widespread Swatting Campaign
Thomasz Szabo, a 26-year-old Romanian national, has pleaded guilty to serious federal charges after orchestrating a widespread “swatting” conspiracy that targeted approximately 100 American public officials, including a former U.S. President. Operating under aliases such as “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher,” Szabo directed a coordinated campaign that made false emergency calls designed to provoke armed law enforcement responses to the homes and offices of unsuspecting victims.
The U.S. Department of Justice secured the guilty plea following Szabo’s extradition from Romania in November. According to court documents, Szabo conspired with Serbian national Nemanja Radovanovic to execute the dangerous hoaxes, which began in December 2020 with threats against synagogues and later expanded to include the U.S. Capitol and numerous government officials.
High-Profile Targets and Dangerous Tactics
The scope of Szabo’s swatting operation was extensive and indiscriminate, targeting officials across the political spectrum. On January 9, 2024, a former executive branch official became one of the most high-profile victims when Szabo’s operation called in a false murder report and bomb threat. The conspiracy specifically targeted government buildings, houses of worship, private residences, and senior government officials from both political parties.
“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 Pam Bondi.
Court records reveal that Szabo selected the targets and directed Radovanovic to make the calls, creating a sophisticated international criminal operation that proved difficult for authorities to track. The swatting incidents were not merely pranks but calculated actions designed to waste law enforcement resources and potentially create dangerous confrontations between armed officers and unsuspecting targets.
Justice Department Secures Guilty Plea
After being extradited to the United States, Szabo pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making bomb threats. He is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington, D.C., this October. Meanwhile, charges against his alleged co-conspirator, Radovanovic, remain pending as authorities continue to build their case against the Serbian national.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that such activities “will not be tolerated by the FBI” and reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to pursuing perpetrators of such crimes regardless of international boundaries.
Among those targeted was prominent attorney Jonathan Turley, who expressed gratitude for the international cooperation that led to the arrests: “I am grateful to the Justice Department and these cooperating U.S. and foreign offices in finding the alleged culprits who swatted my home between Christmas and New Year’s in 2023. Such prosecutions will hopefully shatter the sense of anonymity and impunity of such culprits.”
The case represents a significant victory in combating the growing threat of “swatting,” a dangerous form of harassment that has led to multiple injuries and deaths when armed police respond to what they believe are life-threatening situations. Law enforcement officials hope the prosecution will serve as a deterrent to others who might consider similar tactics.
