Two defendants arrested, two at large as case total reaches 12
Federal authorities announced charges Friday against four more people in an alleged conspiracy to threaten Jewish organizations, University of Michigan officials and businesses over their ties to Israel, bringing the number of defendants in the case to 12.
Henry David MacKeen-Shapiro, 23, Aaron Hunter Vonbargen, 25, Joseph Mark Fisher, 23, and Srishti Tarana Sharma, 23, were indicted on charges of threats, vandalism and intimidation, according to prosecutors.
MacKeen-Shapiro and Vonbargen were arrested earlier this week and were scheduled to appear in court Friday, authorities said. Fisher and Sharma remained at large.
Prosecutors said the group carried out a campaign of threats and vandalism aimed at pressuring the University of Michigan and several businesses to cut their ties with Israel. The alleged conspiracy began following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Federal investigators said the defendants used encrypted messaging services and social media to identify targets and coordinate attacks.
The group allegedly vandalized buildings, broke windows and threw glass containers filled with harmful chemicals into people’s homes, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said the defendants also painted red handprints and inverted red triangles associated with Hamas on homes and businesses.
The alleged targets included the Jewish Federation of Detroit, two University of Michigan regents, a university police lieutenant, a student and two businesses believed to have connections to Israel, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the defendants shared photographs of the vandalism online and warned that additional attacks would follow unless their demands were met.
“These alleged attempts to terrorize our Jewish community and government officials are nothing new,” U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said in a statement. “From Pharaoh to Hitler to Hamas, those who terrorize Jews have been the bad guys. As Americans, our job is to fight the bad guys.”