Philadelphia Man Charged with Making Antisemitic and Islamophobic Threats

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Yaniv Gola, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged today by information on eight counts of interstate communication of threats.

The information alleges that between August 2, 2022 and November 5, 2023, Gola used a Voice over Internet Protocol service to mask his phone number and make telephone calls threatening to injure, rape and kill eight different victims. On one of these calls, Gola threatened, “You f***ing Jew, now I know where you are. I’m going to kill all you Jews … You all should be shoved back into ovens. I’m going down to [victim’s business location] to kill you.” On another call, Gola said to a victim, “I want to put a bullet in your head … You f***ing Muslims.” In the most recent call, Gola threatened a victim, “You’re Jewish, I’m from Hamas. You’re animals and pigs … If you don’t leave that place, we’re going to blow you up.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $2,000,000 fine and an $800 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang. The FBI was assisted by the Philadelphia Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Cinnaminson Township (NJ) Police Department, the Newtown Township (Delaware County) Police Department, and the Haddonfield (NJ) Police Department.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.