Just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City two weeks ago, the Secret Service announced a major intelligence bust.
"The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials, which represented an imminent threat to the agency’s protective operations," the Secret Service announced in a statement at the time. "In addition to carrying out anonymous telephonic threats, these devices could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunications attacks. This includes disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises. While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement."
The Secret Service dismantled a network of more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards in the New York-area that were capable of crippling telecom systems and carrying out anonymous telephonic attacks, disrupting the threat before world leaders arrived for the UN General… pic.twitter.com/sZKUeGqvGY
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) September 23, 2025
"These devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York City. Given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, the agency moved quickly to disrupt this network," the agency continued, noting an ongoing investigation.
Now, we know who the culprit was.
"Federal agents discovered additional locations and more equipment as they work to determine the ultimate goal of what the U.S. Secret Service said was a China-linked plot that could have crippled every cell tower in the nation's largest city, jammed 911 calls, and unleashed chaos on communications networks," ABC News reports.
"Agents from Homeland Security Investigations found an additional 200,000 SIM cards at a location in New Jersey, law enforcement sources told ABC News. That's double the 100,000 SIM cards, along with hundreds of servers, that were recently seized at five other vacant offices and apartments in and around the city," the report continues. "Investigators secured each of those locations, seized the electronics, and are now trying to track down who rented the spaces and filled them with shelves full of gear capable of sending 30 million anonymous text messages every minute, overloading communications and blacking out cellular service in a city that relies on it for emergency response and counterterrorism."
President Donald Trump announced Friday he has restored federal funding for counterterrorism operations that were cut during the Biden administration.
"I am pleased to advise that I reversed the cuts made to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism for New York City and State. It was my Honor to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT," Trump posted to Truth Social Friday.