Secret Service Dismantles Major Telecom Threat Ahead of U.N. General Assembly in NYC

NEW YORK (AP) — As close to 150 world leaders gathered in Manhattan for the U.N. General Assembly, the U.S. Secret Service dismantled a hidden telecommunications network that could have disrupted communications across the city. Investigators describe this network as one of the largest and most sophisticated communications threats identified on U.S. soil, capable of crippling cellular towers and jamming emergency calls.

The operation consisted of over 300 SIM servers housing more than 100,000 SIM cards, strategically located within 35 miles of the United Nations, highlighting a new frontier of risks targeting the critical communication infrastructure of urban environments.

A Broader Investigation Led to This Discovery

This network was uncovered during a wider investigation focusing on telecommunications threats against high-ranking government officials. The servers acted similarly to banks of fake cellphones, capable of generating massive volumes of calls and texts intended to overwhelm network capabilities and hide communications from law enforcement.

Investigators emphasize the potential chaos that could ensue if such a system were activated during an event like the U.N. General Assembly. “If coupled with a significant incident, it could be catastrophic,” stated Matt McCool, head of the Secret Service’s New York office.

Although no direct plot to disrupt the U.N. Assembly has been confirmed and officials report no credible threats to New York City at this time, forensic analysis of the seized electronic devices suggests that nation-state actors may be using this network to communicate with criminal organizations.

An Extensive, Expensive Operation

Upon investigation of the sites, agents found numerous shelves filled with servers and active SIM cards, indicating a well-funded operation that had the capacity to send up to 30 million text messages per minute. The total cost of this extensive network, which comprised significant hardware and operational infrastructure, likely ran into the millions.

Officials express ongoing concerns about potential similar networks operating undetected in other cities across the U.S. The dismantling of this threat reinforces the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety of critical communications during major events.