Chicago Man Arrested for Plotting Attack on UFC Event at the White House
A 20-year-old man from Chicago, Alexander Yniguez Mercado, has been arrested for his alleged role in disrupting a violent conspiracy aimed at the Freedom 250 Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event scheduled at the White House.
Mercado was indicted in federal court on charges that he was an administrator and participant in a messaging group on Signal, which was reportedly used to coordinate attacks related to the June 14 event.
Interestingly, he is among eight individuals facing similar charges from various states in connection with this conspiracy.
Details of the Conspiracy and the Arrest
According to court records, there was a considerable stockpile of weapons being prepared for an attack on the UFC event at the White House. It’s alarming when you think about how security could have been threatened like this.
As part of the investigation, the FBI contacted Mercado just a day prior to the event to inquire about online threats. When asked if he intended to travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in any planned violence, he denied such intentions. However, after the call, he uninstalled the Signal app from his phone, likely to prevent investigators from accessing crucial data.
The Justice Department has also charged Mercado with obstruction of justice for allegedly trying to destroy evidence related to the case.
Mercado was apprehended on Thursday and is set to make an initial appearance in federal court in Chicago, facing the possibility of a 20-year sentence if convicted.
Another Arrest Linked to the Conspiracy
In a related development, authorities reported the arrest of another suspect, 19-year-old Theisen Proper from Ohio, shortly before the Justice Department confirmed charges against Mercado. Proper allegedly used a significant sum of his graduation money—about $3,000—to acquire an extensive array of firearms and equipment, which he reportedly transferred to his parents.
Among the weapons, his stockpile included an AR-15 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun decorated with the American flag, accompanied by over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. It’s hard to imagine how quickly things could escalate with such a setup.
Alongside firearms, Proper had gathered various tactical and survival gear, demonstrating a concerning level of planning.
This conspiracy may have been thwarted due to a timely intervention by Proper’s mother, who alerted authorities about the firearms and suspicious online activity. It raises questions about vigilance in community safety.
This story is still developing, and updates will be shared as more information becomes available.
