Philadelphia, PA (JK) – A Garrett Park, Maryland, man has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for a campaign of threatening mailings directed at Jewish institutions across the United States.
Federal prosecutors announced that 55‑year‑old Clift Seferlis was sentenced Monday to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $40,000 fine and a $2,200 special assessment.
Seferlis previously pleaded guilty in November 2025 to 17 counts related to mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs. Court records show he used the United States Mail between March 2024 and June 2025 to send at least 40 letters and two postcards to more than 25 Jewish organizations, including synagogues, museums, schools, community centers, and a Jewish delicatessen in multiple states. Many of the messages contained threats to destroy buildings or injure individuals.
Prosecutors described the threats as intended to intimidate recipients and interfere with their ability to freely practice their faith. Officials emphasized that attacks on religious institutions are viewed as assaults on fundamental freedoms, and that federal authorities are committed to holding offenders accountable.
Among those targeted was the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, whose leadership expressed appreciation for the sentence, noting the importance of ensuring Jewish institutions remain safe and secure.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with assistance from the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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