Two Europeans Charged with ‘Swatting’ Plot Targeting Former U.S. President and Officials

• Two European men intimidated and threatened dozens of people by calling in fake reports of police emergencies at their homes.
• An unnamed former US president and several members of Congress were allegedly targets of the swatting plot.
• Threats reportedly included potential mass shootings at New York City synagogues and U.S. Capitol bomb threats.

Two European nationals are alleged to have engaged in a "swatting" campaign targeting a former U.S. president and several members of Congress from December 2020 through January 2024, as per court records unsealed on Wednesday. The individuals are charged with conspiracy and more than two dozen counts of making threats.

The federal indictment, handed down by a grand jury in Washington, D.C., accuses Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania, and Nemanja Radovanovic, 21, of Serbia, of orchestrating approximately 100 swatting calls. 

These calls falsely reported emergencies to prompt aggressive police responses at the homes of their victims, including both private citizens and prominent public figures selected from Republican and as well as Democratic affiliations.

While the affidavit from a U.S. Secret Service agent does not specifically name the former president or other officials victimized, it categorizes one target as a "former elected official from the executive branch." 

On January 9, 2024, Radovanovic allegedly falsified a report of a murder coupled with a threat to detonate an explosive device at this individual's residence. The indictment further details additional threats, including potential mass shootings at New York City synagogues and bomb threats directed at the U.S. Capitol and a university.

The indictment says Szabo told Radovanovic that they should pick targets from both the Republican and Democratic parties because they were not on any side. Most of the calls targeted public officials, public officials’ family members, and other prominent figures.

Secret Service agents questioned Szabo in Romania in January when he revealed involvement in both swatting and bomb threats since late 2020, while Radovanovic was questioned in Serbia in February.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been the target of incessant attacks motivated by the upcoming presidential elections. In one example, an Iranian cybercriminal gang targeted the WhatsApp accounts of staffers in the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, posing as support agents for tech companies.