Five Charged in Alleged Plot to Attack White House UFC Event

Five people in the United States were charged on Wednesday with conspiracy to commit murder after authorities said they took part in planning an attack during a UFC event held Sunday at the White House. The case, first reported by the BBC from court and federal investigative records, names Tayshawn C. Proffer, 19, of Ohio; Brian Omar Roa, 24, and Michael Allen Thomas, 32, of California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Nebraska.

According to the Justice Department, the five were arrested in four different states. Prosecutors say the group planned to use explosive-laden drones against structures near the event and to fire on “high-value targets.” Investigators said the drone attack was meant to trigger panic and send fleeing crowds toward a sniper team, before a second wave would storm the White House gates. Court records say the group wanted to “spark” a revolution by targeting politicians and wealthy attendees.

The filings say the suspects discussed grievances over government corruption, the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, data centers they claimed were draining water supplies in some communities, and other government actions. They also allegedly talked about assassinating several American lawmakers and senior business executives. Some lawmakers were chosen, prosecutors said, because of the group’s belief that they had received money from pro-Israel lobbyists. In one message, Eskridge described one target as “a big person most of the country knows.” An FBI document said the group claimed it wanted to “protect the United States,” which it said was headed in the wrong direction, and that the country needed to be “destroyed so it can be rebuilt.”

The investigation began after Proffer’s mother contacted authorities on June 10 over concerns about his weapon purchases and messages she saw between him and a group that presented itself as made up of veterans and Christians. During an interview on June 11, Proffer admitted involvement in the plot and said the group began communicating around March through a TikTok chat called “Vanguard of the Old,” also listed in some records as “Vanguard of the Old Republic.” Prosecutors said most recruitment happened on TikTok, with screened members moved to encrypted Signal chats. The main chat group had about 19 participants, plus smaller subgroups by role or region. A preliminary hearing is set for June 29, and if convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, the defendants face up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Proffer also faces three additional charges, including conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds.