Law enforcement authorities foiled a potential attack aimed at the UFC event held at the White House over the weekend, as revealed by court documents unveiled on Tuesday. The individuals involved, dissatisfied with the country’s direction, discussed using explosive-laden drones to create chaos and target fleeing crowd members.
The FBI uncovered encrypted messages among around 20 conspirators sharing detailed maps of the vicinity and planning for a “safe house” and escape routes post-attack. The extent to which the attackers were prepared to execute their plan remains unclear, but their intentions were halted before the event.
The FBI was alerted to the threat on June 10, just days before the event, and through swift collaborative efforts with other agencies in various states, multiple suspects are now in custody and the alleged scheme was thwarted, stated FBI Director Kash Patel.
The group members expressed a belief that the nation needed to be dismantled and rebuilt, emphasizing a desire to prevent individuals associated with Jeffrey Epstein from governing. Epstein, who faced sex trafficking charges, died by suicide in 2019 while in custody.
According to court documents, group members began interacting on a TikTok group named “Vanguard of the Old” as early as March. Five individuals from different parts of the country were apprehended, including Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old from Ohio, whose online activities raised concerns prompting his mother to contact authorities.
Proper and others on the SimpleX chat app allegedly discussed targeting certain members of Congress who had ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Notably, the targeted lawmakers did not attend the UFC event at the White House.
An attorney representing Proper, facing charges such as attempted murder of a federal officer, did not respond to immediate requests for comment. President Donald Trump, who marked his 80th birthday at the UFC event, had past ties with Epstein but has denied any recent associations beyond the early 2000s.
Trump, who was in France for the G7 summit, mentioned that he had not been briefed on the foiled plot when questioned by reporters.