PHILADELPHIA, PA — Yaniv Gola, a Philadelphia resident aged 51, has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, as announced by United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. The sentencing, handed down on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Kai N. Scott, comes in response to Gola’s use of interstate communications to issue violent threats.
Gola, who was charged in February 2024, used a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service to conceal his phone number while making a series of threatening calls to eight different victims over a period from August 2022 to November 2023. His calls contained threats of violence, including intentions to injure, rape, and kill, and often targeted individuals based on their ethnicity or religious beliefs.
In one of the disturbing calls, Gola directed anti-Semitic threats at a victim, stating, “You f***ing Jew, now I know where you are. I’m going to kill all you Jews … You all should be shoved back into ovens. I’m going down to [victim’s business location] to kill you.” In another instance, he made similar threats targeting Muslims, saying, “I want to put a bullet in your head … You fing Muslims.” His most recent threat included, “You’re Jewish, I’m from Hamas. You’re animals and pigs … If you don’t leave that place, we’re going to blow you up.”
U.S. Attorney Romero condemned Gola’s actions, highlighting the impact of his threats. “Yaniv Gola made hundreds of these calls and texts, terrorizing his victims with incredibly vile, violent threats,” she stated. “He learned where they lived and worked, deploying those details just to heighten their fear. My office and the FBI will continue to hold accountable anyone making such cruel and criminal threats.”
The investigation was coordinated by the FBI, with Special Agent Wayne A. Jacobs emphasizing the broader implications of such threats. “The details of this case serve as an alarming reminder of threats members of our community face because of their beliefs,” Jacobs remarked. “We thank our law enforcement partners who work alongside us every day as we work to ensure the safety and security of our communities. Let today’s sentence serve as a reminder that the FBI will continue to diligently pursue those who make violent threats against those we are charged to protect.”
The collaborative investigation involved the Philadelphia Police Department and several local law enforcement agencies, including the Media Borough Police Department, the Cinnaminson Township Police Department, the Newtown Township Police Department, and the Haddonfield Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang is prosecuting the case.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.