Two Charged in Swatting Conspiracy with 34 Felonies

Federal prosecutors have charged Thomasz Szabo of Romania and Nemanja Radovanovic of Serbia with 34 felony counts related to a 'swatting' conspiracy targeting over 100 individuals, including U.S. government officials and private citizens. The men allegedly made false emergency calls to provoke aggressive police responses, including bomb threats and false reports of murders and hostage situations. Victims included members of Congress, senior federal officials, and state legislators. The campaign spanned from December 2020 to January 2024 and involved multiple incidents, such as swatting attacks on Christmas Day. The Justice Department emphasized the severe impact of swatting, highlighting its danger to real people and its strain on law enforcement resources. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday but does not specify if the men are in custody.