Romanian Man Pleads Guilty to Swatting Conspiracy Targeting U.S. Officials
Thomasz Szabo, 26, pleads guilty to conspiracy and bomb threats in a swatting scheme against U.S. officials, including a former president.
Overview
Thomasz Szabo, a Romanian citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bomb threats related to a swatting scheme targeting around 100 U.S. officials, including a former president. Szabo, extradited from Romania, was part of a group that made hoax calls to provoke police responses at victims' homes. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the actions as a threat to national security. Szabo is scheduled for sentencing on October 23, while charges against his co-conspirator, Nemanja Radovanovic, remain pending.
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Analysis
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Articles (3)
"…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."
PBS NewsHour·1M·"…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."
Boston Herald·1M·"…Szabo would encourage members of the online community, beginning in late 2020, to make bomb threats and other hoax calls to police in order to provoke a dangerous law enforcement response to the target's home."
The Blaze·1M·FAQ
The motivations behind Thomasz Szabo's actions are not explicitly stated in the provided sources. However, swatting is often driven by a desire for notoriety or to provoke a response from law enforcement.
Szabo's targets included numerous members of Congress, churches, multiple members of the media, and a former U.S. President. He also made threats against synagogues and the U.S. Capitol.
Szabo was caught during a surge of swatting events in late 2023 and early 2024. Investigations linked the swatting calls to several Google Voice phone numbers.
Charges against Nemanja Radovanovic, Szabo's co-conspirator, remain pending.
History
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