Man pleads guilty to making hate-filled threats against Sikh nonprofit in Burlington County
Bhushan Athlae, of Texas, had a "long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus," federal prosecutors said.

A 49-year-old man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Camden to making hate-filled interstate threats against employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization’s office in Burlington County, prosecutors said.
Bhushan Athale, of Dallas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person and one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon.
Athale, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in India and told investigators he was a Hindu, left angry, expletive-filled voicemails denouncing supporters of Khalistan, a separatist movement seeking to create an independent homeland for Sikhs, according to court records.
“During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus,” prosecutors said, adding that he also has expressed hatred toward Muslims and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.
In September 2022, Athale repeatedly called the Burlington County office of a national nonprofit dedicated to advocating for the civil rights of Sikhs and left multiple voicemails expressing hate for the people who worked there and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.
Prosecutors did not give a reason why Athale targeted that particular office.
New Jersey is reportedly home to 100,000 Sikhs. In 2017, Balvir Singh became the first Sikh to hold a countywide office when he was elected to the Burlington County Board of Commissioners. Just last week, Singh was the first Sikh to be sworn in as a member of the New Jersey Legislature, taking the Assembly seat vacated by Herb Conaway, who was elected to Congress.
“Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution,” Vikas Khanna, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, said in a statement.
“We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms,” Khanna said.
“Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia field office, said in a statement.
“We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect,” Jacobs said.
Athale is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3.