WASINGTON D.C.
A Romanian man who led a sweeping online swatting and bomb threat campaign across the U.S. pleaded guilty today to orchestrating dozens of hoaxes that terrorized public officials, religious institutions, and journalists.
Thomasz Szabo, 26 — who operated online under aliases including “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher” — admitted to spearheading a years-long conspiracy involving fake reports of violent emergencies.
The campaign targeted over 75 public officials, four houses of worship, and multiple members of the press.
Working with co-conspirators, Szabo made false 911 calls and online threats claiming shootings, hostage situations, and bomb placements. These threats prompted armed law enforcement responses to the homes of high-ranking government officials, religious centers, and private residences across the country.
Szabo’s actions, authorities said, were part of a calculated effort to harass, intimidate, and endanger. His guilty plea brings partial closure to a campaign of fear that spanned years and left countless victims shaken.
“This defendant’s targeted and ruthless behavior put countless people in danger, including law enforcement, public officials, and ordinary citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Swatting attacks, that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there, drain precious resources and can result in major injury or even death. Anyone who hijacks police resources for senseless crimes like these will have to answer for their actions.”
According to court documents, Thomasz Szabo founded and led an online group that, starting in late 2020, launched a wave of bomb threats and “swatting” attacks—false reports of violent emergencies intended to provoke armed police responses.
As the ringleader, Szabo made direct threats to U.S. authorities, including a December 2020 claim of a mass shooting at New York synagogues and a January 2021 threat to bomb the U.S. Capitol and assassinate the President-elect.
He publicly promoted these acts online and urged others to follow suit.
Between December 24, 2023, and early January 2024, members of Szabo’s network unleashed a spree of hoaxes targeting at least 25 members of Congress or their families, senior Executive Branch and law enforcement officials, members of the judiciary, 27 state officials, four houses of worship, and multiple journalists.
One member boasted to Szabo: “I did 25+ swattings today… $500,000+ in taxpayers wasted in just two days.”
Szabo, extradited from Romania in November 2024, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making threats involving explosives. He is facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the charges.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 23.