Washington, D.C. — A 26-year-old Romanian national, Thomasz Szabo, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to orchestrating a years-long swatting conspiracy that targeted over 75 U.S. public officials, including a former U.S. president, members of Congress, and senior law enforcement officials, as well as four religious institutions and multiple journalists. The plea, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice, has reignited discussions about the dangers of online harassment and the real-world consequences of swatting, a criminal act that exploits emergency services to provoke armed police responses (U.S. Department of Justice, 2024).

Swatting involves making false emergency calls to 911, often reporting fabricated violent incidents like shootings or bomb threats, to elicit a SWAT team response at a victim’s address. Szabo, operating under aliases such as “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher,” led a group that executed these hoaxes from overseas, targeting 40 private individuals, 61 public officials, and several institutions between December 2020 and January 2024. The conspiracy caused significant disruption, with one subordinate boasting of “creating massive havoc in [America],” costing taxpayers an estimated $500,000 in just two days (U.S. Secret Service, 2024).

The guilty plea underscores the severe risks of swatting, which U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves described as “not a victimless prank.” It endangers lives, drains law enforcement resources, and inflicts emotional trauma on victims (U.S. Secret Service, 2024). For instance, in one case, armed officers entered residences with weapons drawn, detaining innocent occupants. The FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and international partners, including Romanian authorities, collaborated to extradite Szabo in November 2024, highlighting the global reach required to combat such cybercrimes (Legal Reader, 2025).

This case has fueled broader conversations about online harassment, particularly as swatting incidents have surged. The Anti-Defamation League estimates over 1,000 annual swatting cases nationwide since 2019, each costing thousands in emergency response efforts (The Star, 2023). High-profile victims, including conservative figures like @catturd2, have drawn attention to the issue, with some calling for a 2025 congressional oversight investigation into swatting’s targeting of political figures (WolfCountyMS, 2025). Critics argue that the internet’s anonymity enables such acts, with perpetrators using voice-over-internet technology and spoofed caller IDs to evade detection (Lynnwood Times, 2024).

The real-world impacts are stark. In 2017, a swatting call in Wichita, Kansas, led to the fatal police shooting of an innocent man, illustrating the lethal potential of these hoaxes (CBS News, 2024). Public officials, already facing rising threats—such as a 300% increase in online violent posts against judges since 2024—now grapple with heightened security concerns (WIRED, 2025). Proposed legislation, like Sen. Rick Scott’s bill to make swatting a federal crime with up to 20 years in prison if injuries occur, reflects growing demands for stricter penalties (CBS News, 2024).

As Szabo awaits sentencing, which could bring years in prison, the case serves as a grim reminder of how digital harassment can disrupt lives and strain public resources. Ongoing investigations may reveal more about the motives behind these attacks, but for now, the plea marks a step toward accountability in an era where online actions increasingly carry real-world consequences.

References

CBS News. (2024, January 20). Swatting calls target more than a dozen public officials since Christmas. https://www.cbsnews.com%5B%5D(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/swatting-attacks-public-officials-targeted/)

Legal Reader. (2025, June 3). Leader of swatting ring pleads guilty. https://www.legalreader.com%5B%5D(https://www.legalreader.com/leader-of-swatting-ring-pleads-guilty/)

Lynnwood Times. (2024, January 31). Swatting incidents surge as a means to threaten journalists and public officials. https://lynnwoodtimes.com%5B%5D(https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2024/01/30/swatting-240130/)

The Star. (2023, December 30). How recent ‘swatting’ calls targeting officials may prompt heavier penalties for hoax police calls. https://www.thestar.com%5B%5D(https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/how-recent-swatting-calls-targeting-officials-may-prompt-heavier-penalties-for-hoax-police-calls/article_26719443-b0a9-53bc-b42c-d55aa20e6549.html)

U.S. Department of Justice. (2024, August 28). Two foreign nationals charged in swatting conspiracy targeting lawmakers, private victims, houses of worship, and businesses. https://www.justice.gov%5B%5D(https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two-foreign-nationals-charged-swatting-conspiracy-targeting-lawmakers-private-victims)

U.S. Secret Service. (2024, August 28). Two foreign nationals charged in swatting conspiracy targeting lawmakers, private victims, houses of worship, and businesses. https://www.secretservice.gov%5B%5D(https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2024/08/two-foreign-nationals-charged-swatting-conspiracy-targeting-lawmakers)

U.S. Secret Service. (2024, June 3). Romanian citizen pleads guilty to ‘swatting’ numerous members of Congress, churches, and a former U.S. president. https://www.secretservice.gov%5B%5D(https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/06/romanian-citizen-pleads-guilty-swatting-numerous-members-congress)

WIRED. (2025, May 15). Violent threats against US judges are skyrocketing online. https://www.wired.com%5B%5D(https://www.wired.com/story/violent-threats-us-judges-increase-online/)

WolfCountyMS. (2025, June 3). Romanian national Thomasz Szabo, 26, pleads guilty to swatting 75+ public officials. https://t.co/2XSPCOG6Z9

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