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Synagogues across the United States received coordinated bomb threat emails around New Year’s Day as part of a cryptocurrency extortion scheme.
Jewish institutions, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, and local media confirmed the incidents.
At least six synagogues received nearly identical messages. Investigators later determined the threats were hoaxes. Israeli cryptocurrency intelligence firm Nominis linked the emails to a known pattern of Bitcoin-based bomb threat scams.
Explicit Antisemitic Language and Violent Threats
The messages used explicit antisemitic slurs and violent language. One email reviewed by Nominis claimed an explosive device had been placed outside a synagogue. The sender referred to the building as “your k**e institution” and wrote that the device was “small and hidden very well.”
The message warned that while the blast would not cause major structural damage, “I suspect you will have some victims when it goes off.” The sender framed the threat as ideological violence and described the attack as “in resistance to the ongoing Israeli genocide and occupation of innocent people and their rightful land.”
The email demanded payment to a Bitcoin address and warned congregations not to contact police. The sender wrote, “I am still nearby in my van. Do not have police pigs waiting for me. I stand ready to martyr myself.”
Law enforcement agencies searched multiple locations and found no explosive devices. Authorities continue to investigate the incidents. No suspects have been identified.
Hawaii Synagogues Targeted
One of the targeted synagogues was Jewish Congregation of Maui (Beit Shalom). The Maui Police Department conducted a search of the property and confirmed the threat was not credible.
Maui: police are investigating a bomb threat made towards the Jewish Congregation of Maui – Beit Shalom.
According to authorities, the synagogue received an email threat that claimed a bomb was on the property.
Thankfully, no devices were found. pic.twitter.com/jWahzRWor9
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 4, 2026
In a public statement, the congregation emphasized the emotional toll. Leaders said that although the threat lacked credibility, “the fear it was designed to provoke was real.” They added that the it intentionally meant to frighten Jews.
Congregational leaders warned against minimizing the impact of such threats, especially on children and young people. They noted that antisemitism remains real and that hostile messaging can distort how young Jews understand their identity.
Local reporting also confirmed a bomb threat email sent on December 27 to the Aloha Jewish Chapel at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.
Florida and Ohio Incidents Follow Same Pattern
In Florida, two Jewish institutions received similar hoax bomb threats, according to the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties. Deputies responded to Temple Shalom Synagogue after congregants received an emailed threat tied to a Bitcoin payment demand.
The federation said law enforcement confirmed there was no active danger. It warned, however, that the threats caused serious fear and disruption across the broader community.
In Ohio, Beth Israel Congregation reported receiving an emailed bomb threat on December 29. Authorities later confirmed that the message posed no real threat.
Links to Known Bitcoin Hoax Campaign
Nominis reported that the wording, formatting, and cryptocurrency wallet used in the recent emails closely match bomb threat extortion campaigns from 2018. Those earlier incidents targeted businesses rather than Jewish institutions.
The firm said the reuse of a known Bitcoin wallet strongly indicates a copycat operation rather than a credible explosives plot.
Fear, Not Explosives, Was the Objective
Although the threats proved false, Jewish leaders stressed that hoax bomb threats still function as acts of intimidation. Several congregations said they are reviewing security measures while remaining committed to openness and access.
These incidents highlight how antisemitic threats — real or fabricated — aim to terrorize Jewish institutions and disrupt Jewish life. Even when exposed as hoaxes, their impact remains serious and lasting.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
