SYRACUSE — Patrick Dai, a Cornell University student, is scheduled for sentencing Monday in Syracuse after pleading guilty to making antisemitic threats online last year.
The case has highlighted concerns about Dai’s mental health, with both prosecutors and defense attorneys acknowledging his challenges, including a recent autism diagnosis. Dai, 21, admitted to posting the threats against Jewish students, which he claimed were an attempt to incite backlash against Hamas following its attack on Israel.
Federal prosecutors argue that despite Dai’s mental health issues, his actions caused significant fear and disruption on campus, and they are seeking a serious sentence. He faces up to two years in prison if the felony charge of making threats using interstate communications is deemed a hate crime.