Teen ‘Swatter for Hire’ Admits to Over 375 Swattings, Fake Mass Shootings & Bomb Threats

The U.S. Department of Justice has reported that 18-year-old Alan W. Filion from California has admitted guilt to four charges of ‘making interstate threats to injure the person of another’ after initiating more than 375 swatting and threat-related calls from August 2022 through January 2024. Filion is facing up to a five-year maximum sentence for each charge, with his sentencing scheduled for February 11, 2025.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco stated, “This case underscores the Justice Department’s dedication to pursuing and holding responsible those who compromise public safety with swatting and fraudulent threats. Alan Filion, for over a year, has targeted schools, places of worship, government officials, and other civilians with numerous false alerts about potential mass shootings, bombings, and other violent acts, creating widespread panic and fear. He is now set to face the repercussions of his actions.”

Court filings reveal that Filion engaged in these activities both for personal enjoyment and financial gain, even promoting his swatting services on social media platforms at no charge.

Documents indicate that Filion phoned in bomb threats and mass shooting warnings to various targets including high schools, colleges, universities, government officials, and religious venues throughout the U.S., starting when he was 16 years old. Notably, one threat call was made to a public school in the Western District of Washington and another to a university in the Northern District of Florida.

Additionally, the court documents state that Filion falsified claims about having bombs, illegal weapons including modified AR-15s, Glock 17s, pipe bombs, and Molotov cocktails, and he misrepresented individuals as imminent threats of committing violent acts. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Secret Service, among other law enforcement agencies.

Such actions inevitably lead to substantial police and emergency services deployment to the targeted areas, which are typically on high alert for genuine emergencies. FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate commented, “Swatting is incredibly dangerous for both the public and emergency responders, drains critical resources, and injects terror into communities. The FBI remains committed to partnering with other agencies to pursue and prosecute those who engage in such harmful behavior.”

Swatting and doxing incidents have escalated over the years, affecting streamers, celebrities, politicians, and both public and private institutions, often placing innocent people in harm’s way during police responses. Although measures exist to curb and trace such activities, swatting remains a severe cybercrime driven by malicious intent.