FBI: U.S.-Israeli Teen Who Threatened JCCs Sold Bomb Threat Skills On Dark Web
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — The Israeli-American teenager accused of making hundreds of threats against Jewish community centers in the United States sold his bomb threat services.
Michael Kadar, 19, from Ashkelon in southern Israel, also offered to frame others for the threats for a higher fee, the FBI reportedly alleges in newly unsealed court documents reported Tuesday by The Atlantic and The Daily Beast.
The teen sold his services on AlphaBay, a “dark web” marketplace website selling illegal goods and services that was closed by U.S. authorities in July.
He reportedly sold his services from $30 for a single threat to $90 for “emailed bomb threat to a school districtsmultiple schools + framing someone for it.”
Kadar also wrote in his online advertisement under the screen name Darknet Legend: “there is a no guarantee that the police will question or arrest the framed person. I just add the persons name to the email. In addition in my experience of doing bomb threats putting someones name in the emailed threat will reduce the chance of the threat being successful. But it’s up to you if you would like me to frame someone.”
The messages were found on a flash drive confiscated by the Israel Police during a raid on the teen’s bedroom earlier this year. Police reportedly identified an individual in California who is believed to have ordered and paid for Kadar’s threats.
The teen’s parents and attorney have said Kadar has a benign brain tumor that affects his behavior, as well as a very low IQ.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
