Guangtian Ha, an associate professor of religion at Haverford College, was arrested Oct. 6 and charged federally with cyberstalking over an alleged campaign of online threats against a Jewish colleague and the colleague’s family. An indictment alleges that the activity ran from Oct. 9, 2025, through May 20, 2026, and involved anonymous accounts on X. The allegations remain unproven in court.
According to the indictment, Ha first used an account named “America1st33509” to reply to the colleague’s posts with an image of the colleague’s mailbox and an eyes emoji. Prosecutors allege that in January and February 2026, another account, “America1stLM,” sent messages containing slurs and threats, including language about placing Jews in camps. The indictment says the colleague and family responded by taking security precautions.
The alleged posts continued, prosecutors say. A Feb. 27 message reportedly referred to the family’s efforts to obscure their home on Google Maps and install a security camera near the mailbox. On April 15, an account called “Im_GoyimDL” allegedly demanded that the colleague leave Lower Merion Township and then referred to the colleague’s minor son. Prosecutors also say later messages included the family’s home address.
The indictment describes additional posts in April and May, including a reference to “HH,” which it identifies as a common abbreviation for “Heil Hitler,” and a threat invoking a future Holocaust. The complaint also alleges that Ha used virtual private networks to make it more difficult to identify the source of the posts. Federal authorities ultimately traced the messages to him, according to the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in an Oct. 13 announcement that Ha was ordered held in federal custody pending trial after a hearing. The FBI referred Fox News Digital to court documents when asked for comment.
Haverford President Wendy Raymond said on the day of Ha’s arrest that she was distressed by the allegations and that harassment or discrimination based on identity was unacceptable. Raymond said Ha, who was on sabbatical and not teaching during the academic year, had been placed on administrative leave and barred from campus while the criminal process continued. She also said a college representative had contacted the alleged victims and thanked law enforcement agencies involved.
Lori Lowenthal Marcus, legal director of The Deborah Project, told Fox News Digital that the allegations reflected concerns raised by Jewish members of the Haverford community about the use of “Zionist” as a proxy for Jews. The group previously filed a Title VI civil rights lawsuit against Haverford on behalf of Jewish students. Marcus distinguished protected political speech about the Middle East from harassment and threats, and said she hoped the case would prompt educational institutions to address antisemitic harassment.
Ha’s social media activity had also been cited in the group’s 2024 lawsuit against Haverford. That suit referenced public posts about Zionism and a post in which Ha wrote that he would remember and not forgive people in his “little world” who were silent about the Gaza conflict. The current federal indictment concerns alleged anonymous threats against a colleague; the supplied material does not report a finding of liability in the earlier civil case.
Haverford declined to provide further comment to Fox News Digital. The outlet also said it sought comment from Haverford Township Police Department but had not received an immediate response. No attorney representing Ha was publicly identified in the report.
