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A former Babson College soccer player faces federal criminal charges for sending death threats to college and professional athletes.
Addison Choi, 23, was a frequent gambler on sports and lost much more frequently than he won, according to prosecutors.
And when he did lose, he would allegedly take to Instagram to send death threats to athletes, often in vile and racist terms.
He allegedly posted on one athlete’s account that he would find the athlete’s family members and “skin them alive.” Choi also apparently targeted accounts of those close to athletes. He allegedly posted threats to at least 45 different Instagram accounts between July 2017 and December 2017.
Choi has pled guilty to a federal count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
“There is a difference between free speech -- even hate speech -- and intentionally putting others in fear for their lives,” United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling said in a statement. “Mr. Choi crossed that line … we take seriously internet-based threats of violence, especially racist ones -- they undermine our nation’s hard-won, fundamental values of equality.”
