A New Jersey man on Wednesday admitted that he intentionally damaged the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters, a Jewish religious institution on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, when he rammed a car into the organization's building in January.
Dan Sohail, 36, of Carteret, N.J., pleaded guilty to damaging religious property in federal court, according to Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney Eastern District of New York.
On the evening of January 28, 2026, Sohail drove to the Chabad Headquarters, which was hosting an event marking the anniversary of the death of the movement’s leader. After arriving at the side entrance of the building, Sohail exited his vehicle and moved barriers that had been set up to protect the building, which includes a synagogue and religious gathering spaces, prosecutors said.
After gesturing for congregants to move away, Sohail returned to his vehicle and drove his car into the building’s side entrance. He then reversed his vehicle and accelerated into the entrance four additional times, knocking the entrance door off its hinges, according to prosecutors.
“At a time when acts of violence directed at Jewish institutions have dramatically increased, this prosecution underscores our office’s commitment to ensuring that worshippers can gather safely and those who threaten religious institutions will be held accountable," Nocella said in a statement.
