El-Sayed Campaign Paid Activist Indicted in Threats Case Targeting Michigan's Jewish Community

Mariam Odeh received salary payments from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's campaign before being indicted in a case that prosecutors describe as an effort to terrorize Michigan's Jewish community and University of Michigan officials.

Financial disclosures reported by The Detroit News documented the payments. El-Sayed's campaign confirmed that Odeh had been an hourly employee and said she had no affiliation with it after April 15.

The campaign initially said she worked for two weeks. It later corrected that account, saying she had been hired in February and left on April 15.

Jewish Community Among the Targets

Federal prosecutors identified the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit among the targets of the broader threats investigation, alongside university officials, law enforcement personnel and businesses with perceived connections to Israel.

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon described the conduct as "attempts to terrorize our Jewish community and government officials."

According to prosecutors, the defendants used threats, vandalism and coordinated intimidation to pressure their targets into severing perceived ties with Israel. The Justice Department said photographs of attacks were posted online with further warnings, extending the intimidation beyond the immediate victims to others who supported Israel.

Disclosures Recorded Two Salary Payments

The financial disclosures cited by The Detroit News showed that Odeh received $154 on March 3 and $593 on March 13. The two payments, totaling $747, were described as salary disbursements.

The indictment identifies Odeh as president of Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, known as SAFE. She was charged with one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

That charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years upon conviction. The indictment contains accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Campaign Revised Its Account of Her Employment

Campaign spokeswoman Roxie Richner told The Detroit News that an error in reviewing personnel records had prompted the initial statement that Odeh worked for only two weeks.

The corrected account placed her employment between February and April 15. Richner also said a missed payment for hours already worked was issued in May and would appear in the campaign's next Federal Election Commission filing.

Twelve Defendants Now Charged

Odeh was among eight defendants named in the original indictment announced in June. Prosecutors added four more defendants on October 30, bringing the total to 12.

The expanded case concerns threats against the Jewish Federation, university leaders, a university police lieutenant, a student and two businesses with perceived ties to Israel, according to the Justice Department.