United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Matthew Gabriel, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure. Gabriel’s guilty plea was accepted by United States District Court Judge Timothy J. Savage.
The charges stem from a disturbing series of events that began with an online disagreement in a fantasy football chat group. According to the plea agreement, Gabriel became embroiled in a dispute with a fellow group member, who was planning to study abroad in Norway in August 2023. Seeking revenge, Gabriel submitted a false “tip” to the Norwegian Police Security Service (Politiets Sikkerhetstjeneste, or PST) on August 3, 2023, while he was in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
In the anonymous message, Gabriel falsely claimed that the person he had argued with was planning a mass shooting in Oslo, Norway. The message read:
“On August 15th a man named [Victim 1] is headed around Oslo and has a shooting planned with multiple people on his side involved. They plan to take as many as they can at a concert and then head to a department store. I don’t know any more people than that, I just can’t have random people dying on my conscience. He plans to arrive there unarmed, spend a couple days normal, and then execute the attack. Please be ready. He is around a 5 foot 7 redhead coming from America, on the 10th or 11th I believe. He should have weapons with him. Please be careful.”
This false tip triggered a massive response from both Norwegian and U.S. law enforcement. Hundreds of man-hours were devoted to investigating the supposed threat over a five-day period. When questioned by the FBI, Gabriel admitted that he had fabricated the entire claim and that there was no actual threat.
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Despite already being under investigation for this false report, Gabriel repeated his behavior months later. On March 22, 2024, he sent another false threat—this time to the University of Iowa. Posing as a different individual, Gabriel sent an email with the subject line “Possible Threat,” which included a screenshot from the fantasy football group. The screenshot contained a message from another group member joking about a bomb threat:
“Hello, University of Iowa. A man named [Victim 1] told me he was gonna blow up the school.”
Gabriel knew the message was a joke and that no actual threat existed. However, he sent the email anyway, fully aware that the university would interpret it as a real threat and take action. This led to further disruptions and heightened concerns for public safety.
U.S. Attorney Romero condemned Gabriel’s actions, stating, “While already being prosecuted for one hoax threat spurred by, of all things, his fantasy football league, Matthew Gabriel inexplicably decided to send another. 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.’”
Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, added, “You do not get to express emotions through violence or threats of violence. We thank our international partners for their assistance in bringing together this case. The FBI will continue to work alongside partners at all levels to protect our community.”
Gabriel now faces serious consequences for his actions. He could be sentenced to up to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. The case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Norwegian Police Security Service. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Bateman is leading the prosecution.
Gabriel’s case serves as a sobering reminder of the far-reaching consequences of making false threats, especially in an era where international cooperation can bring swift justice across borders.
