A federal grand jury in Columbus, Ohio, has formally indicted eight men on terrorism and conspiracy charges for the foiled White House bombing.
The US Department of Justice said the extremist group planned to assassinate US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, billionaire Elon Musk and other high-ranking guests.
The attack targeted the UFC Freedom 250 mixed martial arts gala, held on June 14 on the South Lawn of the The White House on the occasion of Trump's 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of US independence. The plan was foiled by the FBI days before the event. With the new indictment, investigators are consolidating the cases into a single conspiracy.
The tactic: Suicide drones and subsequent shooting
According to court documents from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the conspirators planned a two-stage military attack:
Phase One: Directing explosive-laden drones to the north side of the White House to cause powerful detonations and panic. Second phase: Heavily armed snipers were to ambush the fleeing crowd, politicians and officials at pre-determined evacuation exits and open fire.The group began logistical preparations as early as May 2026. Investigators have determined that the men had amassed significant cash, firearms, ammunition, explosives, next-generation communications equipment, body armor and field medical equipment.
Who are the accused and how were they identified?
All eight individuals charged are American citizens between the ages of 19 and 32. They have been identified as: Abraham Alvarez, Daniel Eskridge, William Faulkner, Tyson Proper, Jordan Rinker, Brian Roa, Michael Thomas and the latest arrest this week in West Virginia - 21-year-old Chandler Skaggs, who played the role of sniper. The defendants are from five different states: Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California.
Their communication took place in closed forums and encrypted chat groups on the platforms TikTok, Signal, SimpleX, Discord and Instagram. According to the FBI, their motive was rooted in radical anti-government ideologies and conspiracy theories, and the ultimate goal was to completely destabilize federal power in the United States.
Full security during the event
Security services intercepted signals of a potential threat on June 10 - exactly four days before the UFC matches. Most of the suspects were arrested that weekend in large-scale operations across the country. Thanks to the timely intervention, the event on the South Meadow took place under exceptional security measures and without any incidents in front of 4,300 guests. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately did not attend the event.
The indictment contains two main counts: conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal territory and against a government official. If convicted, the eight men face maximum sentences of life in prison without parole.