A San Jose State University graduate student has been arrested on a federal charge of false information and hoaxes, the Justice Department announced today.
Ziheng “Tony” Fang, 30, of San Jose, California, made his initial appearance in federal court in San Jose on July 10. According to court documents filed on July 9, Fang is accused of placing a threatening message inside a plastic cover sheet and taping it to a men’s restroom wall on the university campus.
The message, discovered on Nov. 5, 2025, stated “!WARNING! MASS BOMB NEXT WEEK” and was accompanied by multiple swastika symbols. Investigators reported finding Fang’s fingerprint on the paper. A second message found at the same time and location stated, “Kill all Jews, Muslims, Chinks, and Mexicans,” and “Mass bombing 11/11 and 11/12 guess.”
The criminal complaint alleges that since October 2024, the San Jose State University Police Department recorded more than 20 instances of threatening and hateful messages in men’s and gender-neutral restrooms across campus. Many of these notes specified dates for attacks and mentioned weapons like bombs, knives, and firearms, with the most recent note discovered on May 14.
Data from buildings requiring key card access showed that Fang accessed the locations in the days leading up to the discovery of the messages in 16 of the 18 logged instances. Court documents noted that the person with the next highest number of entries was a facilities staff member with regular duties in those buildings. Surveillance footage also captured Fang entering and exiting the restroom areas up to a day before certain messages were found.
The threats prompted the university president’s office to issue text and email alerts to students and staff ahead of the threatened dates. Following these alerts, several professors chose to cancel classes or move them online. University police and administrators received numerous calls from concerned individuals, and campus buildings on the specified dates were described in the complaint as a “ghost town.”
Fang, who is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Data Science, remains in federal custody. He is scheduled to appear before Chief Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins on July 13 for the identification of counsel.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the San Jose State University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold and Trial Attorney Connor Cheadle of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
READ: Massachusetts Man Convicted Of Illegally Exporting Sensitive Drone Components To Iran
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
