MD Man Guilty Of Threatening Jewish Organizations In Several States

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A Montgomery County man has been convicted of threatening multiple Jewish organizations in several states over the course of more than a year, according to federal prosecutors.

Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs in connection with the threats, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Seferlis is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16. He faces a maximum penalty of 169 years in prison.

"We welcome today’s guilty plea, which holds the defendant accountable for sending threatening communications intended to intimidate Jewish individuals based on their religion,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “The Division holds a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitic threats."

According to court documents, from at least March 2024 through June 2025, Seferlis used the United States mail to send at least 40 letters and at least two postcards to more than 25 Jewish organizations and entities located in multiple jurisdictions.

The organizations included, but were 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, Seferlis threatened to destroy physical buildings or to injure individuals.

According to court documents, Seferlis sent threatening communications to organizations in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

Further, prosecutors said several of the communications included threats to use a dangerous weapon, fire or explosives.

Seferlis was charged last month following his arrest in June on a criminal complaint and warrant in connection with the threats. At his sentencing, Seferlis also faces up to three years of supervised release and a $5.65 million fine.