Fantasy Football Dispute Results in Federal Charges

The Justice Department doesn't typically get involved in disputes between players in a fantasy football league, but this case out of Philadelphia is an exception. Federal authorities say Matthew Gabriel, 25, got ticked off at a rival in his league for unspecified reasons and attempted to get even by framing him as a potential mass shooter and bomber, reports the Washington Post. Even more remarkable: He did so with police on two continents.

• In Norway: The feds say Gabriel, upon learning that his rival was going to study abroad in Norway, submitted a tip to the Norwegian Police Security Service that the rival planned to stage a mass shooting in the country, per FOX 29.

• In the US: Gabriel also informed the University of Iowa that his rival planned to detonate a bomb there, according to a Justice Department release. He did so, knowing the threat was false, by forwarding a comment the rival made in an online chat that was clearly made in jest, say the feds.
• Guilty plea: Gabriel pleaded guilty to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure, and he now faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He'll be sentenced in January. "Law enforcement in Norway and the United States spent hundreds of man-hours" investigating the threats, says the Justice Department release.

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