Man Arrested After Chilling Ben Shapiro Countdown
A Kansas man is behind bars in Florida after authorities say he unleashed a string of antisemitic death threats against conservative commentator Ben Shapiro — including a countdown that appeared to point toward Yom Kippur.
Korby Aaren Strube, 29, of Horton, Kansas, was arrested Sept. 12 and charged with 25 felonies in Palm Beach County, according to court records cited by JNS and local reporting.
The charges include 23 counts alleging written or electronic threats to kill or cause bodily harm with evidence of prejudice, plus two counts alleging the use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony with evidence of prejudice.
A judge ordered Strube held without bond following a court appearance one day after his arrest, according to reporting based on Palm Beach County court documents.
Posts Allegedly Targeted Shapiro’s Faith
The case centers on a series of social media posts allegedly published between July 31 and Aug. 2.
In one post quoted in an arrest affidavit obtained by JNS, the account said it would be “giving the world a boost by killing Ben Shapiro for being Jewish.” Another allegedly threatened to kill the Daily Wire co-founder while using an antisemitic slur.
Investigators said the messages also leaned on antisemitic conspiracy theories, invoking “semites,” “Tel Aviv” and a “foreign government” as supposed justification for the threats.
Two of the posts allegedly included countdowns of 52 and 51 days. Authorities believed those messages pointed toward Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Shapiro told investigators he considered the threats serious, believed he was being targeted because of his Jewish faith and wanted to pursue charges, according to the affidavit. He also reportedly said he had never communicated with the person behind the account.
Security Team Sounded The Alarm
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office opened its investigation Aug. 4 after a private security firm protecting Shapiro alerted authorities and supplied screenshots of the posts.
Investigators traced the account to Strube using records from technology, telephone and internet companies, the sheriff’s office said. The account was later suspended.
The case reflects a danger Shapiro has said follows him far beyond the studio. In a recent CBN News interview, the commentator described the personal toll of years of public controversy and rising antisemitism. Additional reporting from the New York Post said Shapiro has relied on round-the-clock security for a decade, including during routine family outings.
A Separate Threat Investigation
Authorities were also examining Strube over alleged threats involving President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama and his family.
According to the Palm Beach County affidavit, Secret Service agents and Brown County sheriff’s deputies went to Strube’s Kansas home on Aug. 4 as part of that separate inquiry. Strube allegedly acknowledged making a threatening post about Trump and the Obamas but denied wanting or intending to kill Trump.
Strube also admitted controlling the social media accounts at issue, authorities said, while claiming they had been hacked. Investigators wrote that the hacking claim was contradicted by both his own statements and the digital evidence they gathered.
Law enforcement officers found firearms secured inside a gun safe at the home, but Strube did not have access to them, according to the affidavit. His parents reportedly told investigators he had no history of mental illness.
The New York Post reported that Strube had previously worked in information technology but had been unemployed and living with his parents for roughly two years.
Strube has not been convicted, and the allegations against him remain to be tested in court. It was not immediately clear whether he had entered a plea or retained an attorney.
