A Texas man, Jeremy Fistel, has been indicted for allegedly making a series of violent, hate-filled threats against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Fistel, who faces 22 charges, including terroristic threats as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and related offenses, was arrested last week in Texas and extradited to Queens on Wednesday.
Violent Threats and Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
The threats started in June 2025, when Fistel reportedly sent phone and written messages to Mamdani’s office. Among the disturbing messages, Fistel allegedly called the Uganda-born Mamdani a “terrorist” and told him to “go back to Uganda” before someone shot him in the head. Other messages included vile wishes for Mamdani to die painfully and graphic threats against his family.
One particularly chilling message, sent in July, wished Mamdani terminal cancer and described in graphic detail how he hoped the politician and his family would be killed. “I’d love to see an IDF bullet go through your skull,” the message reportedly said.
Arrest and Extradition
Fistel was eventually tracked through his blocked caller ID and email accounts linked to the threatening messages. The threats were reported to the police by Mamdani’s staff on June 18, and Fistel was arrested last week in Texas before being extradited to Queens to face charges. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison for the most severe charge.
Political Impact and Response
The Mamdani campaign expressed gratitude to law enforcement and assured the public that Mamdani and his team were safe. In a statement, the campaign emphasized the importance of standing against hate and bigotry: “Zohran remains steadfast in his conviction that New York must be a city where every single person, regardless of faith, background, or identity, is safe, protected, and at home.”
Mamdani’s campaign also stressed that threats like these are part of a larger climate of hate that threatens to undermine political discourse. “Unfortunately, threats of this nature are all too common,” the statement read.
Mamdani’s Growing Lead in NYC Mayoral Race
This development comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist, continues to gain momentum in the race for New York City mayor. According to a recent Marist poll, Mamdani leads in a four-way contest with a 21-point advantage over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and current Mayor Eric Adams. However, if the race were to narrow to just Mamdani and Cuomo, the gap would tighten, with Mamdani leading Cuomo by just 10 points…