Maryland Man Charged With Mailing Threatening Communications to Jewish Institutions and Civil Rights Violations

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, was charged by information with 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, arising from numerous threats sent to Jewish organizations and entities.

These charges follow Seferlis’ arrest in June on a criminal complaint and warrant in connection with such threats.

As alleged in the information, from at least March 2024 through at least June 2025, the defendant used the United States mail to transmit at least 40 letters and at least two postcards to more than 25 Jewish organizations and entities located in multiple jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, synagogues, Jewish museums, Jewish community centers, Jewish schools, Jewish non-profit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen. In many of these letters and postcards, defendant Seferlis threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or to injure individuals.

Specifically, the information alleges that Seferlis caused the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) to deliver threatening communications to these institutions on or about the following dates:

• Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.

  (March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 2, an entity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  (April 4, 2024; July 29, 2024; January 18, 2025; March 5, 2025; May 7, 2025; May 9, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 3, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia

  (January 18, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 4, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland

  (February 3, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 5, an entity in Fairfax, Virginia

  (February 7, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 6, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland

  (March 2025)

• Jewish Institution 7, an entity in Rockville, Maryland

  (May 12, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 8, an entity in Washington, D.C.

  (May 29, 2025; June 3, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 9, an entity in Washington, D.C.

  (June 3, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 10, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts

  (June 3, 2025)

Each alleged communication listed above contained a threat to injure the occupants of the receiving institution.

The information further alleges that the defendant, by threat of force, intentionally obstructed and attempted to obstruct congregants and other attendees in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs, by threatening to harm the occupants of:

• Jewish Institution 1, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.

  (March 6, 2024; January 24, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 11, a synagogue in Rockville, Maryland

  (January 25, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 12, a synagogue in Falls Church, Virginia

  (January 31, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 13, a synagogue in Gaithersburg, Maryland

  (February 3, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 14, a synagogue in Washington, D.C.

  (February 10, 2025)

• Jewish Institution 15, a synagogue in Hagerstown, Maryland

  (March 2025)

• Jewish Institution 16, a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts

  (June 3, 2025)

Further, the alleged offenses against Jewish Institution 12, Jewish Institution 13, Jewish Institution 14, and Jewish Institution 15 included the threatened use of a dangerous weapon, fire, or explosives.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 207 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $5,650,000 fine.

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with assistance from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff.

The charges and allegations contained in the information are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.