Legacy media is reporting the FBI has allegedly located an individual of interest in over 100 swatting calls, including calls targeted at Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure and Security Agency Jen Easterly, and other Biden administration officials.
It is believed that the person of interest lives in Serbia. They have not yet been charged, but sources say charges will be brought soon. According to news reports, the suspect is alleged to have made the calls targeting officials over the Christmas holidays.
Sources familiar with the matter said that U.S. Secret Service and the FBI participated in a search of the person of interest’s residence in Serbia and confiscated computers and other electronic devices.
The chief of staff for Rep. Brandon Williams, a New York Republican who was the victim of a swatting on Christmas Day, confirms his office has been notified that a “foreign national living overseas” has been located in connection with the incident. Williams was featured in recent “CBS Mornings” and “CBS Evening News” reports on swatting.
According to an earlier CBS report, a swatting call was made to Republican Rep. Brandon William, a first-term Republican representing Central New York, early on Dec. 25. The swatting was labeled a hoax, but only after ruining Christmas morning.
Williams, a first-term Republican who represents Central New York, said he was the victim of a “swatting” call early in the afternoon on Dec. 25. Williams said someone placed a hoax phone call to police in Auburn, New York, to trigger a massive police response at his rural home.
Law enforcement officials, recognizing his address, called in advance to alert Williams they had received an emergency alert claiming there was a crisis at his home. He said deputies quickly realized the call was a hoax, but only after the swatting incident had disrupted his family holiday. Williams suspects it could be the work of critics of some of his political stances or recent statements denouncing Hamas.
At least three members of Congress reported being the victims of “swatting incidents” over the holiday week, according to a review by CBS News. Other members of Congress, from both parties, have also experienced some form of disruption by such phony and harassing swatting calls over the past several weeks.
Swatting is an increasingly common, dangerous and illegal scheme. The callers attempt to prompt police to dispatch SWAT teams to the homes of public figures, celebrities or enemies, in an effort to harass the victims.
In just the past week, other members of Congress also reported being targeted. Hours before the response to Williams’s home, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced she was also the victim of Christmas Day swatting.
On Christmas morning, when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took to her X account to inform her followers her house had been swatted, she revealed it wasn’t the first time, but this was the 8th incident.
I was just swatted.
This is like the 8th time.
On Christmas with my family here.
My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this.
I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) December 25, 2023
CBS News reported that CISA, the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Justice Department all declined to comment.
