FBI Most Wanted Suspect found & arrested in Columbus

18-year-old Brayden Grace, AKA “bit coin,” “Simswapping,” or “user data god,” (some of nicknames) was arrested in Columbus by federal agents.

Grace, who was on the FBI Most Wanted list, has been accused of involvement in multiple swatting calls, plus charges in conspiracy, interstate stalking, interstate threatening communication, and interstate threat involving explosives or fire. 

The FBI Wanted post says that Grace was wanted for his alleged involvement in conspiring to place, and causing to be placed, swatting calls to multiple police and emergency departments across the United States from approximately December 10, 2023, through at least January 18, 2024. 

Grace, along with other conspirators, was allegedly part of an online group known as “Purgatory” that used multiple online social media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan their alleged swatting activities.

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Among the alleged swatting incidents are a threat to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama; a shooting threat against a teacher and unnamed students at a high school in Delaware; a shooting and bomb threat to the Albany International Airport in New York; a shooting and bomb threat against a casino in Ohio; and a multiple homicide event and shooting threat against individuals in a residence in Eastman, Georgia.

In one specific Columbus related incident, Grace allegedly called the Hollywood Casino and threatened to shoot the staff as well as burn down the building unless he received $100k, in cash, as well as a helicopter. Another phone call placed to the casino said the caller had a bomb strapped to his chest and was inside of the casino, and that another person had a sniper on top of the parking garage.

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