A man named Michael Branham, 48, was arrested for making a bomb threat targeting the Saturday Night Live studios in New York City. The NYPD received the report around 7 a.m. on April 1, and Branham was arrested on April 2 for making threats and falsely reporting an incident, pleading not guilty. His bail is set at $100,000. Reports indicate he communicated the threat to a college in Connecticut, which was subsequently relayed to authorities. Although the threat was deemed not credible, it coincides with Branham’s past involvement with actress Scarlett Johansson, who previously sought a restraining order against him.
A man has been taken into custody following a bomb threat in New York City, with reports indicating that the target was the Saturday Night Live studios.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed to PEOPLE that they received a bomb threat report within the Midtown North Precinct at around 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday, April 1. They noted that Michael Branham of Glen Head, N.Y., has since been arrested as a result of the ongoing investigation.
Public court documents reveal that Branham, 48, was arrested on Wednesday, April 2, facing charges of making a threat of mass harm and falsely reporting an incident. Court records indicate he pleaded not guilty to both charges. His bail has been set at $100,000.
SNL did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for a comment on Saturday, April 5.
As reported by NBC News, Branham allegedly made a threat to the SNL studios at 30 Rockefeller Center to a college in Connecticut, which then informed authorities. The report further mentioned that the threat was assessed and found not credible.
NBC also indicated that Branham’s name corresponds with an individual against whom actress Scarlett Johansson has sought a restraining order in California, although the order was reportedly denied due to a technicality. Johansson, 40, is married to Colin Jost, a cast member and head writer of SNL.
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The New York Post reported that Branham’s attorney, Jamie Niskanen-Singer, requested to have his client’s bail reduced, claiming that Branham has previously fallen victim to scams by individuals impersonating Johansson online, and suggesting that these scammers might be behind the threats.
“He has disclosed information. He could have been hacked, your honor. There’s a strong possibility that someone is attempting to frame him,” Niskanen-Singer stated, according to the outlet.
PEOPLE reached out to Branham’s attorney, representatives for Johansson and NBC on April 5, but received no immediate response.