A Maryland man, Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to mailing threatening communications and civil rights violations against Jewish institutions. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney in Philadelphia.
Seferlis admitted to sending at least 40 letters and two postcards containing threats to more than 25 Jewish organizations across several states between March 2024 and June 2025. The targeted organizations included synagogues, museums, community centers, schools, non-profits, and a delicatessen. Many of the messages threatened physical harm or destruction of property.
The court detailed that Seferlis’s threats were sent via the U.S. Postal Service on multiple dates to institutions located in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Each communication included threats to injure occupants of the recipient institution.
According to filings presented during the hearing, Seferlis also attempted to obstruct individuals from practicing their religious beliefs by threatening harm at various synagogues. Some offenses involved threats of using dangerous weapons or explosives.
Seferlis waived venue for offenses committed outside the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and agreed to be prosecuted there. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 16 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 169 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $5.65 million.
The investigation was led by FBI Philadelphia with support from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office, as well as assistance from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and Secure Community Network. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne are prosecuting the case.
