Candace Owens says FBI arrested New Jersey man who ‘planned to kill her'

New York Post

14-05-2025

Conservative commentator Candace Owens revealed on social media this week that she was allegedly the target of a violent death threat that led to the arrest and guilty plea of a New Jersey man, Haim Braverman.
Owens took to X and shared details of the alleged ordeal, which began in September of last year following her widely publicized debate with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on Piers Morgan's show.
According to Owens, her family was subjected to harassment and threats, prompting involvement from federal law enforcement.
5 Candace Owens shared that she was the target of a violent death threat that led to the arrest and guilty plea of a New Jersey man.
Dominic Gwinn/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock
'My family endured a series of attacks led by deranged zionists,' Owens wrote in her social media post from Tuesday.
'On the 21st of that month, we were contacted by the FBI and informed that their department had 'apprehended a suspect' in relation to a crime involving a threat against me.'
However, Owens, who has been accused of making antisemitic statements condemning Jews and Israel, expressed frustration with the lack of communication and transparency from authorities, explaining that the FBI initially withheld details due to an ongoing investigation.
Owens has denied being antisemitic.
Six months later, in March, Owens said she received a 'victim packet' in the mail with a case number and victim representative assigned, but again, no additional details were provided online.
'We heard nothing for six months until in March the FBI called again,' Owens recounted.
5 Haim Braverman, 47, of Morris County, NJ, was charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce, a violation of federal law.
X/Candace Owens
'When we went onto the corresponding website — once again, no details were provided in regards to the case.'
The case took a dramatic turn recently when Owens finally received detailed information about the threat.
According to the email she received, Braverman, who resides in Morris Plains, was arrested for explicitly planning to murder her.
Braverman publicly shared his intentions online and posted about his plans, including images of knives, stun guns and steel bats, within a private group chat, federal prosecutors alleged.
According to the federal criminal complaint, Braverman allegedly started a group chat titled 'Real Jewish' and later renamed it multiple times.
The complaint does not name Owens.
On Nov. 10, 2023, he allegedly told members, 'Please note we will be discussing weapons,' before describing in disturbing detail violent fantasies, including torching Palestinian flags and attacking individuals with a steel bat.
'My favorite would [be] to bring my brooklyn crusher steel bat and behind the person crush their skull,' he allegedly wrote.
The alleged chat took place a little more than a month following the Hamas terrorist assault against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
5 Owens posted a photo on her X account showing a 'victim packet' she received from the FBI.
X/Candace Owens
Braverman is also alleged to have posted a video last September explicitly referencing a 'political commentator' known in the complaint as 'Individual-1' by name and holding a bat while declaring, 'If I could fking kill you right now, I would not even… fk it, I'll give you the steel bat. I wouldn't even stop. I'd kill you. Dead.'
He also allegedly followed up with a written comment stating, '[Individual-1] needs to be killed.'
In an audio message allegedly sent the same day, Braverman said: 'After I heard what… she said, I will go to prison, gladly find her and kill her. I will find a fking weapon and fking kill her. I am outraged.'
According to Owens, Braverman had already pleaded guilty before she was made fully aware of the situation.
'Haim Braverman by this time has already pled guilty, and I was not even informed of this group chat or this plan,' Owens wrote.
5 Owens wrote she only learned of Braverman's identity after he had pleaded guilty.
X/Candace Owens
She also questioned the Department of Justice's handling of the matter, noting the absence of a publicly available mugshot and the apparent removal of Braverman's social media profiles.
'It seems his socials have been scrubbed from the web,' Owens said. 'This photo was provided by the DOJ. Where is his mugshot photo? And who else was in the group chat?'
In the federal system, mugshots are not routinely released to the public, unlike in many state and local jurisdictions. This is due to longstanding Department of Justice policy, which generally considers booking photos exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
5 Owens has drawn fire for her comments about Israel and Judaism. She denies she is antisemitic.
Matt Baron/BEI / Shutterstock
Owens further revealed the explicit motive behind the threat, stating that the FBI told her Braverman targeted her specifically due to comments she made during her debate with Rabbi Shmuley, in which she criticized the late Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, a figure revered by many as a messiah.
'Haim wanted to murder me because of my @piersmorgan debate against Shmuley,' Owens stated.
'He was unequivocal that he was willing to serve time in prison for killing me.'
Braverman was charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce, a violation of federal law.
When reached by The Post, Braverman declined to comment on specifics of the case. His sentencing is scheduled for September later this year.