Former Wellesley Soccer Player Charged With Sending Racist Death Threats to Pro & College Athletes

Former Wellesley Soccer Player Charged With Sending Racist Death Threats to Pro & College Athletes

A former Wellesley College soccer player has been charged with sending racist death threats to dozens of professional and college athletes between July and December of 2017.

Addison Choi, 23, of Fullerton, Calif., was charged with one count of transmitting in interstate and foreign commerce a threat to injure the person of another.

“There is a difference between free speech – even hate speech – and intentionally putting others in fear for their lives. Mr. Choi crossed that line. Based on today’s charging document, and hiding behind the anonymity of social media, he threatened his victims in graphically violent, often racist terms. We take seriously internet-based threats of violence, especially racist ones – they undermine our nation’s hard-won, fundamental values of equality,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

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Choi will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The Investigation

According to court documents, in 2017 Choi attended college in Wellesley where he played varsity soccer.

He also gambled prolifically on sports, both professional and collegiate, and he lost more than he won, according to officials. 

According to officials, when the players or teams that he bet on performed poorly, Choi used Instagram to send them death threats.

For example, on July 27, 2017, Choi posted on one professional athlete’s Instagram account: “I will kill you and your family and f****** hang them on a tree you stupid ugly mother*****” and also “I hope you f****** die you stupid monkey n*****.” On the same day, Choi posted on another athlete’s Instagram account: “I’ll find your f****** family and skin them alive you stupid f***, I hope you never play again.”

Choi also posted threats on the accounts of athletes’ loved ones.

In another instance, Choi posted on the Instagram page of a professional athlete’s girlfriend, “You stupid mother***** [name], you worthless f***. I will f****** kill you,” and “I will f****** kill [name] you dumb f****** bitch… leave that irrelevant stupid mother*****.” 

According to officials, between July 2017 and December 2017, Choi allegedly posted threats to at least 45 different Instagram accounts, with multiple threats to each account and often multiple targets per threat.