Ridiculous fantasy football manager faces prison after falsifying bomb threat against another player

I never thought I'd have to say this about fantasy football, but it's never worth going to jail over. Unfortunately one fantasy manager didn't get the memo.

Matthew Gabriel, 25, of Philadelphia took his desire to beat an opponent just a step too far. Or maybe a few steps too far... like the distance between Pennsylvania and Norway. And now he's facing federal charges for it.

In August 2023, Gabriel submitted an anonymous "tip" to the Norwegian Police Security Service, claiming a member of his fantasy football group who was studying abroad was planning to carry out a mass shooting in Norway, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Then, while being investigated for that false threat, Gabriel made another in March when he sent an email to the University of Iowa with a screenshot of a text claiming the same group member was going to blow up the school.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, Gabriel made both claims while knowing there was no real threat of violence in either case.

“While already being prosecuted for one hoax threat spurred by, of all things, his fantasy football league, Matthew Gabriel inexplicably decided to send another,” U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero said. “His actions were extremely disruptive and consumed significant law enforcement resources on two continents, diverting them from actual incidents and investigations."

Gabriel pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of interstate and foreign communication of a threat to injure, and he faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Let this be a lesson to anyone else getting their butt kicked in fantasy. Just quit playing. Don't go to jail over a game.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ridiculous fantasy football manager faces prison after falsifying bomb threat against another player