College Activists Charged with Conspiracy Against University Leaders

A group of activists in their twenties have been released on bond following charges related to a conspiracy aimed at threatening leaders of the University of Michigan. This case revolves around the university’s refusal to divest from Israel. The defendants, Zainab Hakim, 23, Paige Feyock, 26, Jonathan Zou, 22, and Colin Weger, 24, appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Patti, where they entered not guilty pleas.

FBI Director Kash Patel had announced seven arrests related to this case. While court records indicate Hakim, Feyock, Zou, and Weger’s bond release, CBS News reports that they must adhere to specific conditions, including surrendering their passports, avoiding contact with alleged victims or co-defendants, and complying with GPS monitoring and travel limitations.

During the hearing, prosecutors argued for the defendants’ continued detention, citing them as flight risks and threats to the community. They also noted concerns about free speech, given the case’s heavy reliance on social media posts by the accused.

In connection with the case, the defendants allegedly started coordinating efforts to intimidate university leaders shortly after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks in 2023. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan released images showing instances of intimidation, such as placing fake corpses outside the home of University Regent Sarah Hubbard in May 2024. Hubbard expressed her gratitude for law enforcement’s diligent work in her statement.

Prosecutors claimed that the defendants vandalized various properties, spraying messages like “Free Palestine,” “Divest Now,” and “Intifada” on the Jewish Federation Building. The indictment details further acts of vandalism, including graphic attacks on homes and businesses.

The group allegedly stalked their targets and discussed using poison, explosives, and psychological methods for harm. On May 21, 2024, Feyock, along with Ahmet Korkaya, a fellow defendant, reportedly conspired to kill and terrorize their targets. Korkaya supposedly claimed he had a “hit list” involving a target’s family, indicating malicious intent through threatening communications.

In a separate incident in March 2025, Jonathan Hongru Zou and Alexander Sepulveda reportedly threw glass jars with an unidentified blue substance into the home of the university’s provost, Laurie McCauley. They also allegedly vandalized the property with disturbing graffiti.

The incident, according to the Detroit Free Press, triggered an attempted search of Sepulveda’s home in April 2025. An accomplice tipped off Sepulveda through an encrypted chat, leading him to delete his phone and laptop data.

A bond hearing for Sepulveda is scheduled for Monday in a Detroit federal court. The charges related to conspiracy to transmit a threat or damage property to evade seizure could lead to a five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.