ARRESTED AND LOCKED UP — Pam Bondi Drops Hammer on Global Swatting Conspirator Targeting U.S. Leaders
Attorney General Pam Bondi is sending a clear message to foreign bad actors and domestic enemies alike: threaten American officials, and you will be brought to justice.
In a sweeping announcement Monday, the Department of Justice confirmed that 26-year-old Romanian national Thomasz Szabo has pleaded guilty in a high-profile “swatting” conspiracy that targeted nearly 100 American political leaders—including a former president.
Szabo orchestrated the multi-year criminal campaign using false 911 calls and bomb threats intended to terrify and disrupt government operations, including hoaxes aimed at religious institutions and U.S. government buildings. He operated under online aliases like “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher.”
Working alongside 21-year-old Serbian national Nemanja Radovanovic, Szabo’s operation reportedly extended from 2020 through early 2024. The duo’s ultimate goal: cause chaos at the highest levels of American leadership, regardless of party affiliation.
“We are not on any side,” Szabo allegedly told his co-conspirator.
According to the indictment, one of their most dangerous acts came on January 9, 2024, when Radovanovic placed a false emergency call reporting a murder and bomb threat at the residence of a former president or vice president—an unprecedented act of political terror masked as a prank.
Szabo, who was extradited from Romania in November 2023, admitted to conspiracy and issuing bomb threats. He now awaits sentencing in a Washington, D.C. federal court this October.
Pam Bondi: “This Case Reflects Our Focus on Protecting Americans”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has made national security and cybercrime a top priority under the Trump administration, emphasized that the case sends a strong signal.
“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,” Bondi said.
“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: “Swatting Will Not Be Tolerated”
FBI Director Kash Patel echoed Bondi’s resolve, warning that swatting is a criminal act with real-life consequences—not a harmless stunt.
“Today, Szabo pleaded guilty to a years-long conspiracy that targeted victims with swatting and bomb threats, including to government buildings, houses of worship and homes of government officials,” Patel said.
“Swatting endangers lives and will not be tolerated by the FBI.”
“We are fully committed to working with our partners to bring to justice those criminals hiding behind keyboards and threatening violence.”
Radovanovic still faces pending charges in what authorities are calling one of the most coordinated swatting plots in recent memory.
FBI Deputy Director Bongino: “We’re Closing In” on Pipe Bomb Suspects
In a separate development, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced that investigators are finally gaining ground in the long-stalled probe into pipe bombs found near the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“The second we got in, I put a team on it and I said, ‘I want answers on this,’” Bongino said on Fox & Friends Monday.
“And I’m pretty confident that we’re closing in on some suspects.”
The devices—located near RNC and DNC headquarters—have been the subject of intense scrutiny. Many supporters of President Donald Trump have raised questions about the timing and security response, accusing the Biden administration of suppressing evidence and stalling the investigation.
Bongino, a longtime Trump ally and former Secret Service agent, previously criticized the Biden DOJ’s handling of the case. Now, under new leadership, justice may finally be on the horizon.