Police have arrested Michael Joseph Branham—Scarlett Johansson's alleged stalker—for threatening to bomb the studio where "Saturday Night Live" is being filmed.
Branham, 48, made the threats in a text message sent to a Connecticut college and an administrator at that university.
"THE NEXT TIME YOU [HEAR] FROM ME, I WILL BE ON CNN FOR EXPLODING A BOMB IN SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE AUDIENCE," the message read, per the New York Post, citing court filings and sources in law enforcement.
A global security investigator later reported his threats for NBC Universal and 30 Rock, where the SNL studio is located. Branham was immediately taken into custody by the NYPD.
It is important to note that Branham has not been officially confirmed to be Johansson's stalker. However, it was reported that he has the word "Scarlett" tattooed across his torso. He also shares the same name and age as the person against whom the actress applied a restraining order. That request was dismissed in April 2024 due to procedural issues.
Furthermore, Branham's social media activity shows he has made repeated posts about SNL Weekend Update host Colin Jost, who is Johansson's husband, per NBC News.
Prosecutors claimed that Branham's actions stemmed from his "obsession" with Johansson. Jamie Niskanen-Singer, his public defender, argued that he has been scammed by Johansson posers in the past and said some of them could be behind the bomb threat. Branham's lawyer further claimed that he has never had a history of weapon use and is requesting for lower bail.
He faces charges of making a terroristic threat and falsely reporting an incident. His bail has been set at $100,000 cash or $300,000 bond. The judge has also issued protection orders for Johansson and Jost against Branham.
That said, law enforcement officials said the threat was not deemed credible, according to NBC News.
Originally published on Enstarz
