PHILADELPHIA — A 25-year-old man pleaded guilty to numerous charges after he submitted false tips to authorities saying another member of his fantasy football league was planning to carry out a mass shooting and bombing, authorities said.
Matthew Gabriel, 25, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday. Prosecutors say he submitted false tips to authorities in Norway, where the unnamed league-mate was studying abroad, and in the U.S. at the University of Iowa, following an online disagreement between the two.
On August 3, 2023, Gabriel, while located in Pennsylvania, notified the Norwegian Police Security Service that his league-mate was planning a mass shooting in Norway. Authorities spent five days and hundreds of hours reacting to the tip, which Gabriel later admitted was false during an interview with the FBI.
On March 22, 2024, Gabriel sent an email posing as another individual to the University of Iowa with the subject line “Possible Threat.” He accused his league-mate of saying he was “gonna blow up the school,” despite knowing that there was no actual threat, according to DOJ.
“While already being prosecuted for one hoax threat spurred by, of all things, his fantasy football league, Matthew Gabriel inexplicably decided to send another,” U.S. Attorney Romero said in the news release. “His actions were extremely disruptive and consumed significant law enforcement resources on two continents, diverting them from actual incidents and investigations. Hoax threats aren’t a joke or protected speech, they’re a crime. My advice to keyboard warriors who’d like to avoid federal charges: always think of the potential consequences before you hit ‘post’ or ‘send.’”
Gabriel faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment, according to DOJ.
