Thomasz Szabo, a 27-year-old Romanian national, was sentenced on April 29 in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison for leading an online swatting ring that targeted more than 75 public officials, religious institutions, and journalists across the United States. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Szabo pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025, to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats involving explosives. In addition to the prison term, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 57 months.
“Members of Congress, cabinet officials, the heads of federal law enforcement agencies, churches, journalists — Thomasz Szabo and his followers targeted them all with swatting calls and fake bomb threats designed to send armed police to their doors,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This administration will not tolerate attacks on the institutions and individuals who serve this country. Szabo was extradited from Romania to face justice in an American courtroom, and today he has reaped the consequences of his actions.”
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said: “Swatting is not just a nuisance – it’s extremely dangerous... This shows that we will cross the globe to track threats down.” Michael Burgwald from the FBI Washington Field Office said that such attacks put civilians at risk and drain resources: “Today’s sentencing is an important step toward ensuring that those who believe swatting is just a prank will be disabused of that notion...” FBI Minneapolis Special Agent Christopher D. Dotson added: “The sentence handed down by the Court today serves to demonstrate that the FBI and our partners will track down offenders wherever they may be...”
According to court documents, Szabo led an online community beginning in late 2020 responsible for numerous false bomb threats and swatting incidents meant to provoke emergency responses at victims’ homes or workplaces. Notable incidents included threats against New York City synagogues in December 2020 and explosives threats at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 targeting then President-elect.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Secret Service Washington Field Office; FBI offices in Washington and Minneapolis; U.S. Capitol Police; as well as international cooperation with Romanian authorities.
