Secret Service Foils NYC Cell Network Plot Ahead of UN General Assembly
Authorities say a vast cache of illicit SIM equipment could disrupt communications; there is no identified direct threat to the UN gathering or New York City at this time.
The Secret Service said it foiled a massive plot to disrupt New York City's cellular network and threaten the United Nations General Assembly by seizing a large cache of illegal telecommunications devices as world leaders prepared to descend on Manhattan for the gathering, investigators said Tuesday.
Officials disclosed the trove included more than 300 co-located SIM servers and about 100,000 SIM cards, recovered within 35 miles of the United Nations complex. The devices, investigators said, had the capacity to carry out a wide range of telecommunications attacks, including taking down cell towers and jamming 911 calls. "The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said. Matt McCool, the Secret Service’s New York field office special agent in charge, said: "It can take down cell towers, so then no longer can people communicate, right? .... You can’t text message, you can’t use your cell phone. And if you coupled that with some sort of other event associated with UNGA, you know, use your imagination there, it could be catastrophic to the city."
The discovery occurred as part of a broad Secret Service probe into telecommunications-related threats targeting senior U.S. government officials, investigators said. It wasn’t immediately clear when the cache was seized, but the devices had the capability to support a wide array of attacks on communications networks.
Officials stressed there was no evidence of a direct plot to disrupt the UN General Assembly and noted there was no ongoing threat to New York City. The agency said investigators would continue to assess the devices and track potential suspects, but provided no additional details about possible investigations.
The Secret Service described the operation as a reminder of the vulnerabilities in critical communications infrastructure around high-profile events and underscored the need for vigilance against illicit telecom equipment. The agency did not identify other agencies involved in the broader probe but said it coordinated with federal partners.
Authorities offered no information on whether any arrests had been made or what steps would follow, but they stressed that UNGA planning and security would proceed with enhanced measures and that public safety communications would be monitored more closely during the gathering.
Security experts cited by officials emphasized that networks like the seized cache expose how criminal actors can exploit gaps in telecom infrastructure to target at-risk populations during major events. They urged continued investment in monitoring, enforcement, and resilience, noting that swift interdiction can prevent wider harm.
City and UN officials said UNGA would go forward as scheduled, with security checks intensified and coordination with federal agencies maintained. The event brings heads of state and government to Manhattan at a time of heightened security awareness, and authorities said the episode would be used to strengthen protocols for critical communications.
A review of the seizure is expected to inform ongoing efforts to secure telecommunications systems around major international gatherings. In the meantime, officials urged the public to rely on official channels for emergency information and to report suspicious devices or activities to authorities.
