PITTSBURGH (VINnews) — Federal authorities on Monday charged six men from the Pittsburgh area in connection with an alleged antisemitic assault on a Jewish man and efforts to obstruct the investigation that followed.

A grand jury indictment names Muhammed Koc, 27, of Pittsburgh; Omar Alshmari, 28, of Monroeville; Abraham Choudhry, 22, of Monroeville; Emirhan Arslan, 24, of McKees Rocks; Ali Alkhaleel, 19, of Pittsburgh; and Adeel Piracha, 22, of Murrysville.

Prosecutors say the attack occurred in September 2024 in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where the victim was approached and subjected to antisemitic remarks after being identified by a Star of David necklace.

According to the indictment, the confrontation escalated into violence, with two of the defendants accused of physically assaulting the man and causing injuries.

Authorities allege that in the aftermath, members of the group communicated with one another and attempted to coordinate their accounts. Several are accused of providing false or misleading statements to investigators and a federal grand jury.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the Justice Department would pursue the case aggressively, emphasizing that acts of violence targeting individuals based on religion will not be tolerated.

The charges include violations of federal hate crimes statutes, as well as obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. If convicted, the defendants could face years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with local authorities.

An indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Let this be clear: FBI Pittsburgh and our partners will protect people of every faith in our community using every tool at our disposal.

This morning, FBI SWAT units, teams of Special Agents, and local law enforcement arrested six individuals in connection with the violent… pic.twitter.com/vl9kwtiXem

— FBI Pittsburgh (@FBIPittsburgh) March 30, 2026