Summary
- Authorities have reported the disruption of a suspected plot to target the White House UFC Freedom 250 event with explosive drones and gunmen.
- Court documents indicate that the suspects expressed grievances related to government corruption, the Epstein files, and AI facilities.
- The event featured sponsorships from various crypto companies, including Crypto.com, Polymarket, and World Liberty Financial.
Federal officials announced the disruption of an alleged attack plan targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn this past Sunday, as detailed in court documents and affidavits released on Tuesday.
Prosecutors assert that five individuals—Tycen Proper from Ohio, Daniel Eskridge from Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez from Nebraska, along with California residents Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas—were plotting to unleash explosive drones to drive attendees away from the venue before shooters targeted politicians and other "high value targets."
“On June 10, the FBI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, detected a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C., involving individuals from outside the National Capital Region,” stated FBI Director Kash Patel on X. “Due to the swift response from the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, several suspects are now in custody and the planned attacks were effectively halted.”
By the time the plot was disrupted, the UFC Freedom 250 had attracted a large audience, including notable figures such as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and various members of Congress.
The event also served as a platform for the crypto sector, with companies like Crypto.com, Exodus, World Liberty Financial, and Polymarket involved through sponsorships and promotions, which included a $1 million bonus pool in CRO tokens and $250,000 in USD1 stablecoins.
According to the complaint, Proper informed investigators that a TikTok group known as "Vanguard of the Old" began discussions in March, later shifting their conversations to Signal. The group planned a meeting in Fredericksburg, Virginia, before heading to Washington, D.C., where they intended to deploy drones with explosives over the UFC venue.
“Proper indicated that the plan involved group members acting as snipers and additional shooters, ideally with long guns, stationed at or near the southern evacuation point to shoot at crowd members and high-value targets as they escaped from the detonated explosives,” wrote FBI Task Force Officer Christopher Betts in the complaint.
Proper allegedly stated that their aim was to "jump-start" a revolution in the United States.
The inquiry was initiated after Proper's family alerted law enforcement about his recent behavior, firearm purchases, and online activities. Investigators discovered discussions about sniper locations, drone launch sites, escape routes, safe houses, and other planning details.
Proper’s mother mentioned that the group comprised individuals who claimed to be ex-military and had a Christian background.
“Proper’s mother explained that her son's online interactions with these individuals led him to adopt a more intense religious stance, and she believed they were using religion to manipulate him,” Betts noted.
The group expressed frustrations regarding government corruption, the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and the proliferation of AI data centers.
This incident marks the second significant drone-related threat to major events in recent weeks.
On Friday, the Iran-related hacking group Handala claimed to have accessed footage from FBI surveillance drones and issued threats against teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning that first-person-view drones could be deployed against participants.
Despite these threats, federal officials assured that the UFC Freedom 250 event was never in danger due to the investigation and law enforcement's proactive measures.
“While this result showcases the effectiveness of our investigative work, it is also typical of our law enforcement operations,” Patel noted on X. “We are designed to detect, respond to, and hold accountable those who threaten the safety of American citizens, especially during large events like the historic UFC 250 fight.”