Eldo Kim ’16 charged in Harvard bomb threat

Eldo Kim ’16 was allegedly trying to avoid a final exam.

According to an affidavit filed with the U.S. district attorney, Kim told authorities he was “motivated by a desire to avoid a final exam scheduled to be held on [Monday].”

Sophomore Eldo Kim has been charged by U.S. prosecutors with e-mailing bomb threats that shut down four buildings at Harvard on Monday during final exams, report several news sources, including The Harvard Crimson and The Boston Globe.

Charged with a single count of making a bomb hoax, Kim is facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz. According to the Globe, his initial court appearance is set for tomorrow before U.S. magistrate Judge Judith Dein in Boston, and he will be represented by a federal public defender.

According to news reports, the threats were e-mailed to two Harvard officials, the campus police, and the student newspaper at about 8:30 a.m. on Monday and warned of “shrapnel bombs” in Sever, Emerson, Thayer, and the Science Center. The e-mails were sent from a disposable, temporary e-mail address with a temporary Internet Protocol number, reports the Crimson, but after University officials determined that the suspect had used a Harvard wireless network to create the secretive IP, an investigation led authorities to interview Kim in his dormitory on Tuesday night. According to an affidavit filed with the U.S. district attorney, Kim told authorities he was “motivated by a desire to avoid a final exam scheduled to be held on [Monday].”

For extensive coverage of these events as well as background information on Kim, see coverage in The Harvard Crimson.

 

Related topics

You might also like

A Cap on A’s at Harvard? Students and Faculty Raise Concerns at Town Hall

Dozens debate the grade inflation proposal that faculty will discuss next week.

Government Seeks More Harvard Admissions Data

Justice Department says it needs proof that Harvard is complying with a 2023 court ruling.

Harvard Faculty Group Proposes Limits on A Grades

The grade inflation measure requires a full faculty vote, expected in the spring.

Most popular

Harvard Professor Michael Sandel Wins Philosophy’s Berggruen Prize

The creator of the popular ‘Justice’ course receives a $1 million award.

The Dark Side of Daylight Saving

Harvard scientists warn against the health effects of abolishing standard time. 

The True Cost of Grade Inflation at Harvard

How an abundance of A’s created “the most stressed-out world of all.”

Explore More From Current Issue

Modern building surrounded by greenery and a walking path under a blue sky.

A New Landscape Emerges in Allston

The innovative greenery at Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex

Illustration of a person sitting on a large cresting wave, writing, with a sunset and ocean waves in vibrant colors.

How Stories Help Us Cope with Climate Change

The growing genre of climate fiction offers a way to process reality—and our anxieties.

A diverse group of individuals standing on stage, wearing matching shirts and smiling.

How a Harvard and Lesley Group Broke Choir Singing Wide Open

Cambridge Common Voices draws on principles of universal design.