A federal grand jury has officially indicted eight men in connection with an alleged conspiracy to carry out an attack during a UFC event hosted at the White House. According to the Department of Justice, the indictment was returned in Columbus, Ohio, on July 9. The suspects, who range in age from 19 to 32 and are spread across six different states, are accused of targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event, which took place on June 14 on the South Lawn to commemorate the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Prosecutors state that the group allegedly began planning the attack in May. Their scheme reportedly involved using small, explosive-laden drones to force an evacuation of the event, followed by gunfire from snipers aimed at attendees as they fled. The indictment charges the men with two primary counts: conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to commit murder on federal territory, including the targeting of a federal government official.
The investigation gained momentum following the initial arrest of 19-year-old Tycen C. Proper of Ohio. This new federal indictment replaces previous charges that had been filed against the defendants in various districts across the country. According to authorities, the men utilized various social media and messaging platforms—including Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok, and Instagram—to recruit members, share operational plans, and coordinate the stockpiling of weapons, ammunition, body armor, medical supplies, and explosives.
The alleged plot targeted several high-profile individuals, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, billionaire Elon Musk, and other guests such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump attended the event, which proceeded without any security incidents, on his 80th birthday. Some of the defendants reportedly committed themselves to putting their lives in harm’s way and potentially entering hiding to carry out the attack.
If convicted on the charge of providing material support to terrorists, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The conspiracy to commit murder charge carries a potential penalty of up to life imprisonment.
Contributing: Bart Jansen, with USA TODAY; Reuters
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
