Sydney, Jan. 13 -- A teenager from the east coast Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has been arrested and charged over several hoax "swatting" calls made to emergency services in the United States, authorities said on Tuesday.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a statement that it launched an investigation after receiving intelligence from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding an Australian-based member of a decentralized online criminal network suspected of being linked to the swatting of major institutions.
As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was executed at a house in regional NSW on Dec. 18, 2025 and multiple electronic devices as well as a prohibited firearm were seized.
The teenage...