Ex-Cornell student sentenced for antisemitic death threats

Former Cornell student Patrick Dai, 22, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after being convicted of posting death threats against his Jewish classmates.

Dai’s disturbing posts on an online forum at Cornell University included antisemitic slurs, threats of “jihad,” and promises to sexually assault Jewish women and behead Jewish children. Dai also threatened to “shoot up” a Cornell campus dining hall that serves kosher food, and to “bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot” Jewish individuals.

The former student’s conduct was also ruled a hate crime, to which he pleaded guilty in court despite his defense team originally claiming that Dai was “pro-Israel” and made the posts in an attempt to sway public sympathy in favor of the Jewish community. The 21 months to which he has been sentenced do not include the 10 months he has already served awaiting trial.

In a press release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which has been accused of not going after campus antisemitism enough, lauded the individuals who contributed to bringing Dai to justice.

“Every student has the right to pursue their education without fear of violence based on who they are, how they look, where they are from or how they worship,” stated Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general with the DOJ Civil Rights Division. “Antisemitic threats of violence, like the defendant’s vicious and graphic threats here, violate that right.” 

Dai was taken into police custody in late October 2023, only days after his posts emerged online. For Jewish individuals at Cornell and its surrounding community, however, the days before his arrest were marked by notable fear and unrest. 

“While we take some measure of relief in knowing that the alleged author of the vile antisemitic posts that threatened our Jewish community is in custody, it was disturbing to learn that he was a Cornell student. I want to express my sincere thanks to the FBI for their diligent, effective and efficient work on this case,” said then-Cornell President Martha Pollack in a Nov. 1, 2023 press release. 

Pollack recently resigned amid criticism of her handling of the anti-Israel campus protests.