Jew charged with threatening Muslim candidate for New York

A Texas man has been indicted on charges of making terroristic threats and hate crimes against Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assembly member and the frontrunner in the city’s mayoral race, prosecutors said.

Jeremy Fistel, 44, allegedly sent a series of threatening voicemails and written messages to Mamdani’s office in June and July, according to officials. He was arrested earlier this month in Plano, Texas, and extradited to New York.

Jeremy Aaron Fistel in court

(צילום: לפי סעיף 27א’ מהרשתות החברתיות )

“As alleged, the defendant threatened an elected official by leaving a series of increasingly alarming anti-Muslim messages with the office of Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “The defendant told the assemblyman to go back to Uganda before someone shoots him in the head, to keep an eye on his house and family, to watch his back every second until he leaves America, and that he and his relatives deserve to die. Let me be very clear – we take threats of violence against any office holder extremely seriously – and there is no room for hate or bigotry in our political discourse.”

The threats prompted officials to increase security around Mamdani. He was assigned a full police detail at the request of his campaign, Mayor Eric Adams said.

“There is almost a level of irony to this,” Adams told reporters. “Here you have a person who has spent his life bashing the NYPD. He has a full detail that is moving with him because they were concerned about his life.”

Fistel pleaded not guilty Thursday to a 22-count indictment that includes charges of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and related offenses. He was released on bail and ordered to return to court on Nov. 19. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors detailed several of the threats in the indictment. On June 11, Fistel allegedly left a message saying, “Hey Zohran, you should go back to f—— Uganda before someone shoots you in the f—— head and gets rid of your whole f—— family, too. You piece of s— Muslims don’t belong here.”

A week later, on June 18, another voicemail allegedly warned: “Go on and start your car. See what happens… yeah, keep an eye on your house and your family. Watch your f—— back every f—— second til you get the f— out of America.”

On July 8, prosecutors said, Fistel submitted a written message through Mamdani’s website, stating, “I hope you get terminal cancer and die a painful death very soon. I’d love to see an IDF bullet go through your skull. Would be even better if you had to watch your wife and kids murdered in front you before they end your pathetic miserable life… I hope you all die painful sudden deaths. Do us all a favor and kill yourself.”

And on July 23, he allegedly left another voicemail saying Mamdani and his family deserved to die: “F—— terrorist piece of s—. All you and your Muslim f— loser friends and relatives and family and wife and kids deserve to die. You deserve to be six feet under the f—— ground. I hope somebody does it quickly, somebody shoots you in the f—— face… I hope you get raped and murdered as well.”

Mamdani’s campaign said in a statement that such threats reflect a broader rise in hate but emphasized that security measures are in place.

“We are grateful to District Attorney Katz’s office for treating this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Unfortunately, threats of this nature are all too common—and they reflect a broader climate of hate that has no place in our city,” the statement said.

The campaign later added: “We are thankful for the security measures in place for both the Assembly Office and the campaign, and we want to reassure the community that Zohran and the team are safe. We respect the judicial process and will not be commenting further on the details of the case.”