A Florida man, who was previously facing charges for cyber harassment, has now been convicted of attempting to have several witnesses in his case, including family members, murdered.
The individual, Anthony Frederick Brillante II, was found guilty of trying to have his relatives killed, along with a federal prosecutor and an FBI agent working on his case.
Background of the Case
Brillante, aged 36, was initially charged with cyber harassment while he was a student at Florida International University. The harassment involved sending tens of thousands of violent and threatening phone calls and text messages to his cousin, her family in New York, and even to a 12-year-old girl.
These messages, which were sent from hundreds of spoofed phone numbers, continued for over a year, from 2021 to 2022.
The harassment was reported to authorities, and Brillante was eventually convicted. However, before his trial for these charges could begin, he made an attempt to escalate the situation to more violent measures.
The Attempted Murders
While being held at the Miami Federal Detention Center in 2023, Brillante learned that his cousin and her family were scheduled to be called as witnesses in his case.
In a bid to prevent their testimony, he attempted to have them murdered, along with others connected to his case, including the federal prosecutor who had signed his indictment and the FBI special agent involved in his investigation.
Brillante took several steps to carry out these murders. He contacted an individual with whom he shared a cell and arranged for a payment of $30,000 to be transferred to someone involved in the plot.
The goal was to fund the murder of his relatives and additional family members. He also targeted the prosecutor and FBI agent, who were crucial to his case.
FBI’s Undercover Operation
In October 2023, an undercover FBI agent, posing as a hitman, engaged in recorded conversations with Brillante. Brillante confirmed that he wanted five of his relatives killed, along with the two law enforcement officers.
He even admitted to already having paid $30,000 for the killings. As the conversation continued, Brillante agreed to pay an additional $10,000 to have the prosecutor and agent killed.
Brillante made two separate transfers of $20,000 to further fund the murders, making it clear that he was fully committed to the plan. However, the FBI was able to intercept these actions before they could be carried out.
Guilty Verdict and Upcoming Sentencing
Brillante’s actions led to his conviction on multiple serious charges. He was found guilty of attempted murder of a federal employee, solicitation to commit a violent crime, using interstate commerce for murder-for-hire, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.
On July 11, 2025, he was found guilty by a federal jury. He is scheduled for sentencing on October 1, 2025, where he will face the consequences of his violent and illegal actions.
This case highlights the dangers of online harassment taken to the extreme. What started as cyber harassment evolved into a plan for murder, showing the lengths to which some individuals may go to avoid the legal consequences of their actions.
The quick action of the FBI and the judicial system has prevented a tragedy, and Brillante is now facing severe penalties for his actions.
