New Jersey, USA: A 49-year-old Indian American man from Texas, Bushan Athale, has admitted to making violent threats against employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization. He pleaded guilty to federal charges of committing a hate crime and transmitting interstate threats.

Athale faces a potential 10 years in prison for obstructing federally protected activities and up to five years for making threats across state lines. He also risks fines of up to $250,000 for each charge.

According to court records, on September 17, 2022, Athale called a Sikh civil rights group and left seven voicemail messages filled with hate speech, threats to harm or kill individuals with a razor, and violent remarks about Sikh practices. In a follow-up on March 21, 2024, he left two more messages targeting Sikhs, Muslims, and Jews, repeating the same violent rhetoric.

Athale also admitted to other incidents of religiously charged threats. In November 2021, he sent messages to a former colleague expressing hatred toward Pakistanis and Muslims, and later hinted at hiring a Jewish person to carry out harm. In May 2024, he sent a similar message to a recruiter, threatening death if the individual did not “back off.”

The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, with federal prosecutors Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson, and Justice Department Trial Attorney Eric Peffley handling the prosecution.

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna emphasized that threats of violence should not be tolerated in society, and that every individual has the right to practice their faith free from fear. Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs from the FBI echoed this sentiment, reinforcing that all citizens deserve to feel secure and free from hate.

Athale's sentencing is scheduled for June 3, where a judge will decide his final penalty.