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A specialized unit within the US Secret Service has unveiled a sophisticated network of over 300 SIM servers, packed with more than 100,000 SIM cards, discovered within a 35-mile radius of New York City. This massive operation, initially traced while investigating a surge of “swatting” threats against high-ranking US officials, possessed the alarming capability to not only mask criminal communications but also to potentially disrupt New York City’s entire cellular infrastructure, officials reveal.
The investigation began in late 2023, prompted by a series of unsettling swatting hoaxes targeting prominent figures, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Senator Rick Scott, a federal judge overseeing the Trump election subversion case, and then-Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. These false alarms, simulating grave emergencies like shootings and bomb threats, posed a direct and “imminent threat” to the Secret Service’s protective operations, according to Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the agency’s New York field office.
In response, the newly formed Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit (ATIU), in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies, embarked on a mission to peel back the layers of burner phones and constantly changing SIM cards used in these threats.
What they uncovered went far beyond simple swatting. The unit tracked the signals to a seemingly innocuous apartment outside NYC, leading them to multiple rented spaces. Instead of finding individuals, they discovered an unprecedented electronic labyrinth: hundreds of SIM servers, teeming with over 100,000 SIM cards. This marked the largest seizure of such devices in Secret Service history.
Officials briefed on the investigation highlighted the profound danger of this network. The servers could be controlled remotely to generate an immense volume of anonymous phone traffic, rapidly switching SIM cards to evade detection. McCool emphasized the network’s astonishing power, stating it could have delivered an encrypted, anonymous text to every person in the United States within just 12 minutes. Moreover, it had the capacity to overwhelm cellular towers, effectively shutting down New York City’s cell service and blocking critical communication channels, including emergency services and navigation apps like Google Maps for Manhattan residents.
The electronic “safe houses” were strategically positioned, forming a ring around New York City’s vital cellular network infrastructure. Locations included Armonk and Queens in New York, Greenwich in Connecticut, and various sites across the river in New Jersey.
While no arrests have been announced in connection with this specific operation, the Secret Service’s initial forensic analysis points to its utilization by well-funded and highly organized entities. McCool stated, “That includes cartels, that includes human traffickers, that includes terrorists.” He underscored the network’s potential as a tool for foreign governments and criminal organizations operating within the US.
Fortunately, the Secret Service confirms that this particular network has been dismantled and no longer poses an immediate threat to New York’s telecommunications. However, McCool issued a stark warning: “It would be unwise to think that there’s not other networks across the country.” The ATIU is now actively working to identify and neutralize similar threats nationwide.
“The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated,” commented US Secret Service Director Sean Curran, stressing the gravity of the discovery.
MobileX, one of the wireless service providers whose SIM cards were found among the seized items, released a statement through its founder and CEO, Peter Adderton. He acknowledged the recovery of MobileX SIM cards, alongside those from other providers, during the federal investigation. Adderton affirmed the company’s readiness to cooperate with authorities, noting, “Our platform is designed to be easy to use and cost-effective, qualities that unfortunately can also attract occasional bad actors. MobileX has robust safeguards in place to identify and block automated or bulk usage, and we shut down suspicious activity on our network every day.”