Two Eastern European suspects were indicted last week on charges relating to a plot that put at risk dozens of Washington officials by reporting false emergencies at their places of residence.
According to a press release by the United States attorney’s office, Nemanja Radovanovic of Serbia and Thomasz Szabo of Romania carried out an alleged three-year ‘swatting’ operation that was directed at members of Congress, senior executive branch appointees, directors of federal law enforcement agencies, President-Elect Joe Biden, and one unnamed former U.S. president.
In addition to targeting government functionaries, the two foreign nationals are also accused of disseminating bomb threats against four private businesses, four religious institutions, the U.S. Capitol, and a university.
The indictment alleges that both Democrats and Republicans were selected for harassment because the two individuals were “not on any side.”
“Swatting is not a victimless prank; it endangers real people, wastes precious police resources, and inflicts significant emotional trauma,” Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said after revealing the allegations on Wednesday.
Although no victims were named in the declaration, several prominent Washington lawmakers have reported being subject to such incidents, including Representatives Mike Gallagher, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Lieu, and Brandon Williams.
