Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh have charged six men from the greater Pittsburgh area with a hate crime and obstruction of justice following a late-night attack on a Jewish man in September 2024. The indictment alleges the group targeted the victim over his religion and later coordinated false statements to a federal grand jury.
Muhammed Koc, 27, of Pittsburgh; Omar Alshmari, 28, of Monroeville; Abraham Choudhry, 22, of Monroeville; Emirhan Arslan, 24, of McKees Rocks; Ali Alkhaleel, 19, of Pittsburgh; and Adeel Piracha, 22, of Murrysville, are named in the seven-count indictment.
“As alleged in the indictment, this incident began with two defendants physically attacking an individual because of the victim’s Jewish identity,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Then, these defendants corruptly colluded with one another to provide false and misleading testimony before a federal grand jury tasked with investigating the assault. Obstruction is illegal and undermines the pursuit of justice; it will not be tolerated within our legal system, particularly when defendants testify falsely in an effort to protect individuals who commit hate crimes and acts of violence.”
The attack occurred around 2 a.m. in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, where defendants reportedly confronted the victim over a Star of David necklace. Koc and Alshmari physically assaulted him, causing injuries including a split lip and headaches. The indictment notes the assault was motivated by the victim’s religion and perceived race.
“Violence that targets someone because of their religious beliefs is unacceptable in American society,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental principle at the core of many communities across our nation. FBI Pittsburgh and our local, state, and federal partners stand committed to protecting all faith communities from acts of hatred and intimidation. Incidents such as this will be met with a swift, decisive law enforcement response as we will pursue those believed responsible with the full force of the law.”
Over the following months, the defendants allegedly coordinated through social media to align their statements about the attack and mislead investigators. Several defendants testified falsely about their involvement, the motive behind the assault, and discussions about what to tell the grand jury.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the DOJ’s commitment to religious freedom: “We will prosecute this alleged act of violent antisemitism to the fullest extent of the law. This Department of Justice will always protect the First Amendment right to worship freely and without fear for Jewish Americans and all Americans of faith.”
The charges carry up to 10 years in prison for the hate crime and obstruction counts and up to five years for conspiracy to obstruct justice. The FBI led the investigation with assistance from the University of Pittsburgh Police, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl J. Spindler and DOJ Trial Attorney Adam Hassanein.
