Juan Thompson, the former journalist who was accused of being behind several bomb threats that targeted Jewish centers in the United States earlier this year, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to cyberstalking and conveying false information.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said Thompson was behind threats placed to eight Jewish Community Centers between January 28 and February 22. Authorities claim Thompson did it as part of a revenge plot to frame an ex-girlfriend.
Thompson used to work for The Intercept, but the publication reportedly terminated him for using fake quotes in an article and lied on his resume.
Thompson’s threats were merely a small fraction of several waves of similar calls placed to Jewish organizations around the world since January. Israeli authorities eventually apprehended a 19-year-old man who is accused of orchestrating the vast majority of the threats. That suspect did not appear to have any connection to Thompson.
[Image via BRIC-TV screengrab]