Sentencing and Charges
A former Cornell University student, Patrick Dai, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to posting violent threats against Jewish students online. The U.S. Justice Department announced the sentencing on Monday, which will be followed by three years of supervised release.
The Nature of the Threats
Dai, 22, was charged late last year for making a series of online threats targeting Jewish students at the Ivy League institution in Ithaca, New York. In October 2023, he admitted to posting on an online forum, where he threatened to bomb, stab, and rape Jewish members of the Cornell community on October 28 and 29.
National Significance
This case comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Jewish communities in the U.S., particularly in the context of rising antisemitism since the Israel-Gaza conflict intensified last year. U.S. government officials and civil society advocates have raised alarms about the increasing threats faced by American Jews, as well as Muslims and Arabs, following the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
Statements from Authorities
“The defendant’s threats terrorized the Cornell campus community for days and shattered the community’s sense of safety,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York in a statement.
FBI official Craig Tremaroli also commented, saying, “Mr. Dai’s actions serve as a disturbing reminder of the terrifying hatred our Jewish communities encounter simply because of their beliefs.”
