Secret Service dismantles vast network of SIM cards in New York ahead of UN Assembly

The US Secret Service has dismantled a massive network of over 100,000 SIM cards and 300 servers in the New York area, capable of crippling cell service and disrupting communications during the UN General Assembly.

23 sept 2025 - 15:22 • 3 min read

The U.S. Secret Service announced Tuesday the dismantling of a vast, illicit network of sophisticated equipment in the New York region that possessed the capability to cripple cellular communications. The discovery occurred as approximately 150 world leaders prepared to convene for the annual United Nations General Assembly.

Officials stated that the anonymous communications network, comprising more than 100,000 SIM cards and 300 servers, could have interfered with emergency response services and been used for encrypted communications. One official indicated that the network was capable of sending up to 30 million text messages per minute anonymously, describing it as an operation of unprecedented scale.

While Secret Service officials said there is no specific information indicating the network posed a direct threat to the UN conference itself, the agency led security for the week's meetings. The scale of the discovered equipment suggests the network could be part of a nation's surveillance operation, according to experts.

Initial analysis of data from some SIM cards has identified ties to at least one foreign nation, as well as links to individuals known to U.S. law enforcement, including cartel members, Secret Service officials disclosed.

Investigators found the SIM cards and servers in August across several locations within a 35-mile radius of the United Nations headquarters. The discovery was the culmination of a months-long investigation into anonymous "telephonic threats" made earlier in the year to three high-level U.S. government officials, including one within the Secret Service and two White House employees.

"It can’t be understated what this system is capable of doing," said Matt McCool, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York field office. "It can take down cell towers, so then no longer can people communicate, right? You can’t text message, you can’t use your cellphone. And if you coupled that with some sort of other event associated with [the UN general assembly], you know, use your imagination there – it could be catastrophic to the city."

Experts suggest that only a handful of countries, including Russia, China, and Israel, could execute such a sophisticated and costly operation. In addition to potentially jamming cellular networks, such a substantial amount of equipment near the United Nations could also be utilized for eavesdropping, according to cybersecurity analysts.

In addition to the Secret Service, the New York Police Department, the Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations, and the office of the director of national intelligence are involved in the ongoing investigation. Officials cautioned that it would be unwise to assume such networks are not being developed in other U.S. cities.

One official also reported that agents discovered cocaine, illegal firearms, computers, and cellphones when the network was found.