A Romanian national, Thomasz Szabo, 27, was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a series of swatting calls and bomb threats targeting U.S. government officials, including members of Congress, Cabinet-level officials, federal judges, and heads of federal law enforcement agencies. Szabo, who used online aliases such as 'Plank,' 'Jonah,' and 'Cypher,' pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats involving explosives.
Prosecutors had sought a five-year sentence, but U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson imposed the shorter term. Szabo was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, who stated, 'This administration will not tolerate attacks on the institutions and individuals who serve this country.'
Swatting—the act of making hoax threats to provoke a tactical law enforcement response—has become a growing public safety hazard. U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan emphasized the danger, calling it 'extremely dangerous' and not just a nuisance. Szabo began organizing swatting activities in 2018 from Romania, expanding his operations by late 2020 to include coordinated threats with others. Prosecutors noted that these activities provided 'entertainment value' to Szabo and his followers due to their real-world impact.
Szabo was charged alongside Nemanja Radovanovic of Serbia, whose case remains unresolved. The investigation highlighted the increasing prevalence of swatting as a form of online harassment targeting public officials across the political spectrum.