DOJ Arrests San José State Grad in ‘False Information and Hoaxes’ Case

The U.S. Department of Justice says it arrested San José State University graduate student Ziheng “Tony” Fang on a federal charge of “false information and hoaxes,” alleging that hateful and threatening messages were left in campus men’s and gender-neutral restrooms—and that campus alerts and classroom planning followed.

DOJ says Fang made an initial appearance in federal court on July 10 in San Jose, California, and was in federal custody as of DOJ’s July 13 announcement.

What DOJ alleges happened at San José State

According to DOJ (in a criminal complaint and court documents), Fang wrote a hateful and threatening message that was placed in a plastic cover sheet and taped to the bathroom wall of a men’s restroom on SJSU’s campus.

DOJ says the message was discovered on Nov. 5, 2025, and began with “!WARNING! MASS BOMB NEXT WEEK,” along with multiple swastika symbols. DOJ also alleges a second message was discovered on the wall of the same bathroom at the same time.

DOJ further alleges that hateful and threatening messages appeared in men’s and gender-neutral restrooms dating back to October 2024, including messages tied to alleged attack dates and threats involving weapons or methods such as bombs, knives, and shooting. DOJ says the most recent message in that pattern was discovered on May 14.

Why DOJ says campus operations were affected

DOJ alleges that, in the days leading up to message discoveries, Fang accessed buildings in 16 of the 18 instances where key-card access is required.

DOJ also alleges that surveillance footage showed Fang entering and exiting the restrooms (or restroom areas) where some messages were written up to a day before they were found.

As described by DOJ, the SJSU President’s Office sent email/text message alerts to notify students and staff before dates that attacks were allegedly set to take place. DOJ says professors then independently decided whether to cancel class or move instruction online. DOJ also says university police and college administration received calls from people worried about coming onto campus, and that buildings on the specified dates were described as “ghost town.”

SJSU’s communications timeline and law-enforcement coordination

SJSU’s “Graffiti and Threats Response” page describes the university’s risk communications and coordination with law enforcement over time. It says President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced on May 21, 2026 that the campus police department arrested a suspect believed responsible for hateful graffiti and threatening messages, describing the investigation as conducted with local, state, and federal partners “including the FBI.”

The same page says the suspect was taken into custody by the university police department on Wednesday, May 20.

SJSU also says that on July 13, 2026, the university issued a statement on the suspect’s arraignment—matching the date DOJ publicly announced the federal case.

What to watch next in federal court

DOJ says Fang was in federal custody and was next scheduled to appear in federal court on July 13 for identification of counsel before Chief Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins. As additional filings and docket entries appear, the practical watch-items for readers are new court documents clarifying (1) what specific conduct prosecutors say the government can prove, and (2) whether any release or custody conditions are imposed.

Bottom line: DOJ frames this as a federal enforcement case tied to alleged threat hoaxes and campus safety disruption. SJSU’s public materials provide the campus communications context and describe coordination with law enforcement, including the FBI—but they do not replace the role of the court in deciding what has been proven.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) — OPA press release: “Graduate Student Arrested for Hateful and Threatening Message at San Jose State University”
• San José State University — “Graffiti and Threats Response” (campus communications page)
• Los Angeles Times — “California grad student left threats of violence in campus bathrooms, sparking fear, prosecutors say”
• FBI San Francisco Field Office — News listing (verify case-related item on page)