A Philadelphia man has been convicted for sending false tips to law enforcement about a member of his fantasy football group who he claimed was planning a bombing at the University of Iowa and a mass shooting in Norway.
Matthew Gabriel, 25, pleaded guilty this week to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of threats after prosecutors say he made false tips to police in the United States and overseas, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District Pennsylvania.
According to the plea agreement, Gabriel had an online disagreement with a member of his fantasy football chat group. He then learned the rival, who isn’t named by authorities, was going to study abroad in Norway in August of 2023.
On Aug. 3, 2023, Gabriel, submitted an anonymous “tip” through the internet to the Norwegian Police Security Service, claiming a member of his fantasy football chat group was going to carry out a mass shooting in Norway.
Gabriel, in his tip, stated, “On August 15th a man (victim) 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 then 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 read head coming from America, on the 10th or 11th I believe. he should have weapons with him. please be careful.”
Law enforcement in Norway and the United States spent hundreds of hours investigating the threatened mass shooting over a five-day period, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. When Gabriel was interviewed by FBI, he admitted he had submitted the tip to the Norwegian police and it was false.
Then, on March 22 of this year, Gabriel, while in Pennsylvania, sent an email posing as another person to the University of Iowa with the subject line “Possible Threat”.
Gabriel, in the email, stated “Hello, I saw this in a group chat I’m in and just want to make sure everyone is safe and fine. I don’t want anything bad to happen to any body. Thank you. A man named (victim) from I believe Nebraska sent this, and I want to make sure that it is a joke and no one will get hurt.”
The email also contained a screenshot from the fantasy football group of a message that stated “Hello University of Iowa a man named (victim) told me he was gonna blow up the school,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gabriel knew the rival wasn’t going to blow up the university and that the message had been sent in jest by another member of the fantasy football group regarding Gabriel’s prior threat. Despite knowing that there was no actual threat to the University of Iowa, the defendant transmitted the email knowing that the University of Iowa would view it as a true threat.
“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 Jacqueline C. Romero said. “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,” Romero said in a statement. “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 pleaded guilty to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing is set for Jan. 7.
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Matthew Gabriel, 25, pleaded guilty this week to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of threats after prosecutors say he made false tips to police in the United States and overseas, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District Pennsylvania.
According to the plea agreement, Gabriel had an online disagreement with a member of his fantasy football chat group. He then learned the rival, who isn’t named by authorities, was going to study abroad in Norway in August of 2023.
On Aug. 3, 2023, Gabriel, submitted an anonymous “tip” through the internet to the Norwegian Police Security Service, claiming a member of his fantasy football chat group was going to carry out a mass shooting in Norway.
Gabriel, in his tip, stated, “On August 15th a man (victim) 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 then 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 read head coming from America, on the 10th or 11th I believe. he should have weapons with him. please be careful.”
Law enforcement in Norway and the United States spent hundreds of hours investigating the threatened mass shooting over a five-day period, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. When Gabriel was interviewed by FBI, he admitted he had submitted the tip to the Norwegian police and it was false.
Then, on March 22 of this year, Gabriel, while in Pennsylvania, sent an email posing as another person to the University of Iowa with the subject line “Possible Threat”.
Gabriel, in the email, stated “Hello, I saw this in a group chat I’m in and just want to make sure everyone is safe and fine. I don’t want anything bad to happen to any body. Thank you. A man named (victim) from I believe Nebraska sent this, and I want to make sure that it is a joke and no one will get hurt.”
The email also contained a screenshot from the fantasy football group of a message that stated “Hello University of Iowa a man named (victim) told me he was gonna blow up the school,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gabriel knew the rival wasn’t going to blow up the university and that the message had been sent in jest by another member of the fantasy football group regarding Gabriel’s prior threat. Despite knowing that there was no actual threat to the University of Iowa, the defendant transmitted the email knowing that the University of Iowa would view it as a true threat.
“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 Jacqueline C. Romero said. “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,” Romero said in a statement. “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 pleaded guilty to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing is set for Jan. 7.
Pennsylvania man falsely claimed fantasy football rival planned to bomb UI, mass shooting in Norway
A Pennsylvania man was convicted this week for making false claims against his fantasy football player rival after they had an online dispute. He told authorities his rival planned a mass shooting in Oslo, Norway, and bombing at the University of Iowa.
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