Department of Justice indicts eight conspirators who threatened University of Michigan officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation

DETROIT - Eight individuals associated with the University of Michigan were indicted for their alleged roles in conspiracies to threaten University of Michigan leaders, law enforcement, and businesses, including the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyon of the FBI Detroit Field Office joined Gorgon in the announcement.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Zainab Aliasgar Hakim (Canton, Michigan) (age 23), Amatullah Aliasgar Hakim (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 21), Paige Elizabeth Feyock (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 26), Ahmet Kerem Korkaya (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) (age 28), Jonathan Hongru Zou (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 22), Alexander Matthew Sepulveda (Chicago, Illinois) (age 23), Mariam Muhammed Odeh (Dearborn, Michigan) (age 24), and Colin Hunter Weger (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (age 24).

"In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation are anti-American. We will counter intimidation with justice." said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.

"No one has the right to threaten, intimidate, and coerce public officials, law enforcement officers, community institutions, or their families. In the dead of night, masked and hooded defendants allegedly threw noxious chemicals through the windows of families' homes and taped demand letters to their front doors. At every step they attempted to cover their tracks and delete evidence of their crimes. Those who engage in coordinated campaigns of threats and intimidation should expect to be held fully accountable under federal law," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "This multi-state operation led to the arrests of numerous defendants across Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin for alleged criminal activity committed within our state. I am grateful for the exceptional work of the dedicated FBI Detroit team, alongside our partners from FBI Chicago, FBI Milwaukee, University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor PD, Huntington Woods PD, City of Plymouth PD, Bloomfield Twp PD, Canton PD, Chicago PD (Illinois), Milwaukee PD, Southfield PD, Novi PD, Romulus PD, West Bloomfield PD, Michigan State Police, Ypsilanti PD, Eastern Michigan University PD, and the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, whose collaboration made this operation possible," said SAC Runyon.

After the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, the defendants and unindicted conspirators enacted a series of coordinated "actions" threatening University of Michigan leaders, law enforcement, and businesses. Seemingly prompted by their perception of the University of Michigan's and other victims' purported financial support of Israel, the conspirators insisted publicly that they "must escalate, mobilize, and organize to demand divestment by any means necessary."

According to the indictment, on October 20, 2023, the defendants publicly posted a list of demands on social media directed at University of Michigan leadership. Among the demands, they required the University to make a "full and complete divestment" from Israel and any businesses supporting Israel. Unsatisfied by the University's response, the defendants "prepared to take action" against the leadership by what they called "autonomous actions," which included forcibly entering and occupying University of Michigan buildings, defacing buildings, and blocking and disrupting events on campus. They also posted threats on the internet that included photos of their "autonomous actions."

Below are two examples of the alleged threats posted to social media after "autonomous actions" targeting the homes of a University of Michigan elected official and the University of Michigan Provost.

The defendants also allegedly held meetings to identify targets of their "autonomous actions." They used the internet to research personal addresses, photographs, political and social connections, business ownership, and other personal details of the targets. They also discussed methods by which to harm the targets and their families, including poison, bombs, and psychological torture. For example, on May 21, 2024, Feyock and then-medical student Korkaya agreed to "kill," "torment," and "terrorize" their targets and families. Referring to one victim, Korkaya stated his "entire family" was on his "hit list" Feyock added that they should "get" the "kids" of two victims. Korkaya, referring to another victim, stated, "I'm gonna be the dirtiest f------- doctor ever / I'm gonna be [victim's] doctor / poison her a-- slowly." Feyock agreed, "We need people following [victim] / get into that house then burn it down."

As part of the conspiracy, the defendants are alleged to have traveled at night to the targeted homes and businesses. They damaged and defaced homes and businesses with spray-painted messages, threats, and symbols, including inverted triangles, which Hamas has used in its military videos to mark targets for death; red handprints, which Hamas has used to symbolize the Ramallah Lynching of 2000 and the murder of two Israeli military reservists during the Second Intifada; and phrases such as "INTIFADA" and "DIVEST NOW." The defendants also left demand notes containing additional threats, caulked doors shut, bike-locked entryways, broke windows, and threw glass jars filled with butyric acid and dye into the homes. The defendants took photographs of the destruction and posted the photos online with "official statements" and additional warnings and threats, such as "you cannot hide" and "we only come back stronger."

Below are photos of the alleged threats spray-painted on the Jewish Federation Building on the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, as well as two other businesses.

The indictment also charges Zainab Aliasgar Hakim and Paige Elizabeth Feyock with witness intimidation. In July and August 2024, Hakim and Feyock devised a plan to confront the victim, a University of Michigan student whom they believed may have been cooperating with federal authorities. They planned to convince the victim not to provide information about the defendants' criminal activities. Hakim warned that the victim was "going to send us to federal prison." Feyock explained, "we have to do something about [victim] / [victim] is actually a liability / the fact that [victim] is naming you to [unindicted conspirator] is a major issue." Feyock told other conspirators that the victim "has to be neutralized" and that she and Hakim were going to "strip search" the victim "to see if he is wearing a wire / not taking no chances with him." Hakim and Feyock confronted the victim on August 6, 2024, and afterward, Feyock told another conspirator that the victim "knows not to talk about [the autonomous actions]."

Alexander Matthew Sepulveda is also charged in the indictment with destruction of property to prevent seizure. According to the indictment, Sepulveda and Jonathan Hongru Zou were involved in an "autonomous action" at the home of the University of Michigan's Provost. Sepulveda and Zou threw two glass jars filled with a blue substance and food compost through a window of the Provost's home. They also spray painted the home with inverted red triangles and phrases including "Divest" and "Free Palestine." In April 2025, law enforcement attempted to execute a search warrant at Sepulveda's home. An unindicted conspirator warned multiple conspirators about the warrant via encrypted group chats. In response, Sepulveda is alleged to have cleared the contents of his phone and laptop.

Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties: Conspiracy to Transmit a Threat: up to 5 years' imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000; Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness: up to 20 years' imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000; and Destruction of Property to Prevent Seizure: up to 5 years' imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.

This case was investigated by FBI Detroit with assistance from the following agencies:

University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor PD, Huntington Woods PD, City of Plymouth PD, Bloomfield Twp PD, Canton PD, Chicago PD (Illinois), Southfield PD, Novi PD, Romulus PD, West Bloomfield PD, Michigan State Police, Ypsilanti PD, Eastern Michigan University PD, Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, and the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen, Maggie Smith, Matthew Roth, and Robert Kuhn.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.