The Daily breaks down indictment against eight pro-Palestine activists

Editor’s Note: Mariam Odeh and Amatullah Hakim are former Daily staffers. Neither contributed to the writing of this article.

Eight pro-Palestine activists detained by the FBI on June 10 

Eight pro-Palestine activists — six of whom are associated with the University of Michigan — were detained by the FBI Wednesday morning. An unsealed indictment from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, details charges brought upon them, such as conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce, witness tampering and destruction of property to prevent seizure. A press release published by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan Wednesday identified and provided information on the eight defendants indicted by the Department of Justice.

These arrests follow an attempt by Attorney General Dana Nessel to prosecute pro-Palestine activists at the request of the University’s Regents. Nessel dropped all charges against seven of the protesters related to the 2024 Gaza solidarity encampment on May 5, 2025. 

The Michigan Daily has thoroughly examined the counts, defendants and victims named in the indictment — providing our summary of the document by section.

Explaining the General Allegations

The indictment states the alleged crimes occurred after Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas initially attacked the state of Israel. The attack killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 more being taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than  75,000 people and was classified as a genocide by the United Nations last September. 

Following the Oct. 7 attack, pro-Palestine protests erupted at several college campuses throughout the country. The first U-M protest was a sit-in at the president’s residence on Oct. 10, 2023, following a statement from then University President Santa Ono. The statement disavowed violence in the Middle East, but did not specifically mention violence against Palestinians. Following six months of protests, on April 22, 2024, University students began a month-long encampment on the Diag in solidarity with Palestinian people in Gaza. The encampment was later forcibly removed by the University on May 21, 2024, citing concerns raised by the University fire marshal. Throughout the protests, a core demand of pro-Palestine activists has been that the University divest from Israel. 

The indictment alleges that after the encampment was removed, the defendants and other alleged conspirators began to target specific individuals. It references vandalism directed toward the alleged individual victims, as well as to several businesses and institutions — such as Maersk, Rolls-Royce and the Jewish Federation of Detroit — with ties to the state of Israel. 

The federal government now seeks to charge the defendants on ten counts, each of which fall into one of three felony charge categories: conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce, witness intimidation and destruction of property to prevent seizure. 

The Counts

The first charge — a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; 875(c), Conspiracy to Transmit Threats in Interstate and Foreign Commerce — occurs when two or more individuals communicate about threatening or injuring another person across state lines. There are eight counts relating to this offense. 

Count One: According to the indictment, Count One states Victim One, also known as V-1, had their residence vandalized in May 2024. The indictment alleges dismembered and bloody baby dolls, broken cribs and fake body bags were placed in V-1’s lawn, and states V-1 is a member of the University’s Board of Regents. Regent Sarah Hubbard (R) reposted an X post from Steve McGuire, Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom, on Wednesday, stating she is V-1. Hubbard’s house was vandalized in a manner identical to the indictment’s description in May 2024. The indictment does not say that V-1 or any members of their families were physically harmed. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  

Count Two: Count Two claims the defendants, alongside unidentified co-conspirators, allegedly vandalized the law office of V-2 — who the indictment states is another Regent at the University — on June 3, 2024. The indictment states V-2 also served as an equity partner at a law firm in the Eastern District of Michigan. V-2 is likely Regent Jordan Acker (D) — while several regents are partners at law firms, only Acker is an equity partner at his firm. Acker’s law office was vandalized in June 2024, with spray paint graffiti reading “DIVEST NOW,” “FUCK OFF,” “FUCK YOU ACKER” and “UM KILLS.” The indictment further alleges defendants exchanged threatening messages about V-2’s family and left a list of demands on the front door of V-2’s personal residence in May 2024. However, the indictment does not state any physical harm was done to V-2 or their family. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. 

Counts Three and Four: Counts Three and Four allege defendants vandalized and threatened Rolls-Royce and Maersk facilities and executive employees. Count Three alleges several defendants spray-painted anti-Israel graffiti and broke the front window of a Rolls-Royce Solutions America, Inc. building at approximately 2:00 a.m. on June 30, 2024. Count Four claims another group of defendants defaced a Maersk Shipping Company building with similar messaging at approximately 2:00 a.m. on July 8, 2024. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. 

Count Five: Count Five alleges defendants vandalized the personal residence of and threatened V-3. The indictment identifies V-3 as the chief investment officer at the University during the times of all incidents. Since the position was established in 1999, it has been occupied exclusively by CIO Erik Lundberg. As part of his duties, Lundberg manages the University’s investment portfolio and oversees the endowment. According to the document, several defendants sent Signal messages over several months alluding to their planned vandalism. On Oct. 7, 2024 at 2:00 a.m., conspirators allegedly taped demands for divestment on V-3’s garage, as well as spray-painted the Jewish Federation of Detroit with pro-Palestine, anti-Zionist messaging. The indictment does not state V-3 or any members of their families were physically harmed. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. 

Count Six: Count Six claims several defendants exchanged messages expressing a desire to harm V-4 from May 2024 to October 2024. The indictment states V-4 served as University president during the time of all incidents. Santa Ono, the 15th president of the University, occupied the position from 2022 until 2025. In October 2024, the words “coward” and “intifada” — an Arabic term meaning uprising and signifying Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation — were spray-painted onto Ono’s residence. The defendants allegedly discussed supplies necessary to carry out the act and expressed concern that law enforcement would discover their plans. The indictment does not state any physical harm was done to V-4 or their family. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Count Seven: Count Seven claims several of the defendants trespassed at the Jewish Federation of Detroit and confronted staff members. The indictment states the defendants allegedly spray-painted anti-Israel messaging on the building and sidewalk, in addition to painting over surveillance cameras on the morning of Oct. 7, 2024. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Count Eight: Count Eight claims several defendants vandalized the residence of V-5 with anti-Israel graffiti and threw glass jars at the house, which allegedly broke a window and contained an unspecified noxious chemical. V-5 is identified in the indictment as a member of the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security. The indictment does not state V-5 or any members of their families were physically harmed. The Daily was unable to obtain further information regarding the identity of this individual. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

The second charge — a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(b)(3); (k), Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness — states that preventing law enforcement from receiving information about a federal offense by hindering, delaying or preventing communication warrants a fine or imprisonment up to 20 years. Those found guilty of preventing communication to law enforcement face the same charges as those who committed the actual offense. 

Count Nine: Count Nine claims two defendants intimidated V-6 — identified in the indictment as an unnamed U-M student — out of concern they were cooperating with federal authorities. The relationship between V-6 and the defendants was not specified in the indictment. According to the indictment, the defendants believed V-6 was wearing a wire and confronted them at a coffee shop. The Daily was unable to obtain further information regarding the identity of this individual. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(b)(3) and (k).

The third charge — a violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 2232(a), Destruction of Property to Prevent Seizure — states if one attempts to dispose of property, in order to impair federal intent to take it into custody during or after a search for seizure of that property, they will be fined and imprisoned up to five years. 

Count Ten: Count Ten claims two defendants — alongside unidentified co-conspirators — allegedly smashed a window in V-7’s personal residence on March 15, 2025, and threw glass jars containing an unknown blue substance and food compost. V-7 was identified in the indictment as the Provost of the University during the time of all incidents. The current provost, Laurie McCauley, assumed this position in May 2022. V-4’s residence was also allegedly vandalized with pro-Palestine messaging. Law enforcement executed a search warrant for the home of D-6 April 23, 2025. The defendant allegedly attempted to erase evidence of conspiracy related to the offenses against V-7 and V-4 from his phone and laptop before, during and after the seizure of property, in an attempt to impede law enforcement from taking it into custody. The indictment states all actions were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2232 (a).

The Defendants

In the indictment, the DOJ provided information on eight defendants — six with specific ties to the University, and two with ties to Southeast Michigan. 

D1: Defendant one is Zainab Hakim of Canton, Mich., a 23-year-old U-M class of 2024 graduate. Hakim is a known member of Students Allied for Freedom and Equality. Hakim is charged with seven counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce and one count of witness intimidation.

D2: Defendant two is Amatullah Hakim of Ann Arbor, Mich., a 21-year-old U-M student expected to graduate in 2027. According to the indictment, Hakim is also a member of SAFE. Hakim is charged with seven counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce. 

D3: Defendant three is Paige Feyock of Ann Arbor, Mich., a 26-year-old Michigan Medicine researcher. Feyock is charged with six counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce and one count of witness intimidation. 

D4: Defendant four is Ahmet Kerem Korkaya of Milwaukee, Wis., a 28-year-old former medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin Medical Scientist Training Program. Korkaya previously resided near the University and, according to the indictment, returned frequently. Korkaya is charged with five counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce. 

D5: Defendant five is Jonathan Zou of Ann Arbor, Mich., a 22-year-old U-M engineering student, SILS and TAHRIR Coalition member according to the indictment. Zou is charged with three counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

D6: Defendant six is Alexander Sepulveda of Chicago, Ill. Sepulveda is a 23-year-old U-M class of 2026 graduate and the co-president of Students for International Labor Solidarity and activism chair of Jewish Voice for Peace. Sepulveda is charged with two counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce and one count of destruction of property to prevent seizure.

D7: Defendant seven is Mariam Odeh of Dearborn, Mich., a 24-year-old U-M class of 2024 graduate. The indictment states Odeh previously served as SAFE president. Odeh is charged with one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

D8: Defendant eight is Colin Weger of Ann Arbor, Mich. Weger is 24 years old and never attended the University. The Daily was unable to obtain further information regarding the identity of this individual. Weger is charged with two counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

What comes next

The eight defendants are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and fines of $250,000 per count. Sepulveda also faces one count of destruction of evidence, which carries another five-year charge. Feyock and Z. Hakim are additionally charged with federal witness intimidation, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. 

Summer Managing News Editor Alexa Cheaney can be reached at acheaney@umich.edu. 

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