October 19, 2026
A 21-year-old from Northern Ireland is accused of bomb threats against Mohegan Sun, Hollywood Park and Turfway Park, including a demand for $5,000 and a BMW. The FBI has linked him to an online abuse network.
A 21-year-old man from Northern Ireland is facing charges over a string of alleged bomb threats and extortion attempts against US casinos and other public sites. A court has also heard that the FBI identified him as a senior member of an online network accused of exploiting vulnerable children. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Suspect: J.B., 21, from Strabane, County Tyrone
Alleged online alias: "Decay"
Charges: threats, blackmail, unauthorised computer access
Court: Dungannon Magistrates' Court
Status: bail refused, in custody until 5 November
Three US gaming venues in the firing line
According to court proceedings reported on 16 October, the suspect is alleged to have claimed that explosives had been planted at three American gambling properties. In some cases the threats allegedly came with demands attached.
| Venue | State | Alleged threat |
|---|---|---|
| Mohegan Sun | Connecticut | Bomb threat plus a demand for $5,000 and a BMW |
| Hollywood Park Casino | California | Bomb threat |
| Turfway Park Racing & Gaming | Kentucky | Bomb threat and a threatened mass shooting |
Not just casinos
Prosecutors say the alleged campaign went well beyond the gaming industry. They have linked the suspect to threats involving:
- Denver International Airport
- The World Trade Center shopping complex in New York
- A hospital in North Carolina
- A nuclear power plant in Texas, from which he allegedly demanded $80,000 and a fast car
The FBI tip-off
In court, a detective explained that the FBI had contacted police in Northern Ireland and named the suspect as a high-ranking member of an online network accused of pressuring young people into filming self-harm and other abuse. The court reporting did not name the network, and no link to any specific group has been publicly confirmed.
Timeline: first arrested in February and released on bail → re-arrested on 15 October over an alleged breach of his internet-use restrictions (images online reportedly showed him holding firearms) → bail refused by District Judge Francis Rafferty on 16 October → next hearing on 5 November.
A year of casino bomb hoaxes
The case lands after a run of hoax threats that hit US casinos throughout 2026:
- 15 January: Parkwest Bicycle Casino in California was evacuated after a caller allegedly threatened a shooting and bombing unless $50,000 was paid.
- Late January: several Oklahoma tribal casinos, including Comanche Nation Casino, were evacuated after bomb threats, with the FBI helping tribal police. Hospitals were also targeted.
- July: police in several states appealed for help to identify those behind coordinated threats against eight tribal casinos in Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas and Idaho.
So far, nothing presented in court connects the Northern Irish suspect to these earlier incidents, and it is not known whether they are related.
Casinos have become a favourite target for hoax callers and extortion attempts, and this case shows how far-reaching such a campaign can allegedly be — run from a small town in Northern Ireland against venues across the US. The investigation continues, and the suspect will stay in custody at least until his next court date on 5 November.
All allegations described in this article are unproven. The suspect is presumed innocent unless found guilty by a court.
