Romania’s Thomasz Szabo leads online swatting ring, admits to targeting US officials

Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania led a dangerous swatting criminal conspiracy that deliberately threatened dozens of government officials in the United States with violent hoaxes, according to Pamela Bondi, 59. She was been the U.S. attorney general since February 5, 2025.

Kash Patel, 45, who was been the Federal Bureau of Investigation director since February 21, 2025, condemned Szabo’s actions. Patel emphasized that FBI will not tolerate swatting, which is falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at the home address of a victim for the purpose of provoking a police response there.

Yesterday, I was notified that a recent federal indictment includes charges over my "swatting" a year ago. Two foreign nationals were charged: Thomasz Szabo, 26, of Romania, and Nemanja Radovanovic, 21, of Serbia… https://t.co/QWtO1UfNct

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) November 24, 2024

Thomasz Szabo

In 2020, an online community founded by Szabo started engaging in a pattern of bomb threats and swatting. As the leader of the group, he publicized his swatting activity to his followers and encouraged them to engage in similar behavior.

Amid the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Szabo made false reports to U.S. law enforcement. These include a threat in December 2020 to commit a mass shooting at synagogues in New York City, New York, USA and a threat in January 2021 to detonate explosives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., USA and kill Joe Biden, then 78.

From December 24, 2023 to January 2024, subordinate members of the group perpetrated more swatting and bomb threats. Their victims including at least four religious institutions, at least six former and current U.S. executive branch officials, at least 13 current or former senior federal law enforcement officials, at least 25 U.S. Congress members and their family members, at least 27 current and former state government officials and their family members and numerous members of the media.

In November 2024, Szabo was extradited from Romania. The assistance of Romanian authorities was critical to his extradition and the successful investigation of the case involving his swatting criminal conspiracy.

On June 2, 2025, Szabo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats involving explosives. On October 23, 2025, he will be sentenced.