Alan Filion, an 18-year-old from Lancaster, California, has pleaded guilty to four counts of making interstate threats after orchestrating more than 375 swatting incidents across the U.S. between August 2022 and January 2023. Prosecutors say Filion, who started swatting for profit and entertainment, targeted schools, religious institutions, and government officials, creating widespread fear and chaos.

Filion promoted his swatting services on social media, advertising the ability to stage hoax threats for a fee. His actions included bomb threats and threats of mass shootings in states such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Louisiana. At just 16, Filion initiated most of these hoaxes, which also targeted FBI agents and mosques.

Alan Filion faces up to five years in prison for each charge.

 

In January 2023, he was extradited to Florida after threatening to commit a mass shooting at the Masjid Al Hayy Mosque in Sanford. Filion claimed to possess weapons and bombs, intending to “kill everyone.” Prosecutors revealed that he had been swatting since his early teens, turning it into a business roughly six months before his arrest.

Filion faces up to five years in prison for each charge, with Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco condemning his actions for causing “profound fear and chaos.”