The men accused of plotting a mass-casualty attack at the UFC event held on White House grounds allegedly met through a TikTok group before moving their discussions into encrypted messaging apps where prosecutors say they developed plans to kill government officials and other attendees, according to court records reviewed by Fox News Digital. Federal authorities have arrested five men accused of plotting a mass-casualty attack targeting UFC Freedom 250, the Sunday event held on White House grounds that was attended by President Donald Trump and other senior government officials.According to federal court records, members of the group first connected around March through a TikTok community called "Vanguard of the Old," where participants allegedly vetted one another through identification documents, workout videos and tactical content before moving into private Signal chats.The filings do not further describe whether Vanguard of the Old was a formal organization or simply an online chat community.The filings identify five arrested participants in Ohio, California, Missouri and Nebraska and describe a network that prosecutors say evolved from online discussions into operational planning for an attack targeting UFC Freedom 250.
Investigators allege members discussed using explosive-laden drones to trigger an evacuation before opening fire on politicians and other targets as crowds fled the area. President Donald Trump hosts the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House on June 15, 2026, celebrating his 80th birthday with a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches.(Jacquelyn Martin/Getty Images)JUSTIN GAETHJE TARGETS ILIA TOPURIA'S DIVORCE, IGNITING FEUD BEFORE WHITE HOUSE SHOWDOWNWhile prosecutors allege the group had developed operational plans, some officials, like Vice President JD Vance, have suggested the conspiracy never advanced to the point of becoming an imminent threat."There was a lot of security there," Vance said during an app...