HAVERFORD, Pa. — Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to keep a Haverford College professor in prison until trial as he faces a charge of cyberstalking and accusations of antisemitic harassment of a coworker.
Haverford College leadership released a statement Tuesday revealing that Guangtian Ha, an associate professor of religion, was arrested earlier in the day for what they’re calling “heinous online attacks,” which were “antisemitic in nature.”
Federal agencies do not release mug shots, but Action News has obtained a photo of Ha.
U.S. Attorneys said he created four anonymous X accounts to threaten a coworker and that person’s family with dozens of harassing posts toward Jewish people.
Investigators also said they traced the IP addresses back to his Haverford home.
Action News knocked on the door, but no one answered.
U.S. Attorneys convinced a federal grand jury to indict Ha on Sept. 30.
Court documents detail the beginning of “cyberstalking that terrified his coworker” exactly a year ago.
Investigators said Ha replied to one of the victim’s posts on X with a picture of the victim’s mailbox and address.
Officials said Ha made 50 posts, some telling the victim to “watch out” and that there would be a “cleansing of Jewish people from Lower Merion” where they live.
Court documents revealed the victim installed security cameras and even requested their home be blurred on Google Maps after officials say Ha threatened their children.
Officials said Ha sent a reply stating “cameras won’t help you.”
The post indicated real-time surveillance, according to officials.
“That’s terrifying. He should’ve been stopped long before this,” said Lori Lowenthal Marcus, legal director of The Deborah Project.
The Deborah Project represented a group that sued Haverford College in 2024 and reached a settlement in August to take proactive measures to combat antisemitism.
Ha was in that initial lawsuit, which was ultimately dismissed, where he was accused of posting threatening messages against Jews.
“When someone claims they hate you and want to kill you, believe it. And for too long Jews have been threatened,” Marcus said.
Investigators said the most troubling post happened on Monday, just one day before Ha’s arrest, when he made a post telling the victim to send their kids outside to play.
The college declined our request for an interview, referring to the statement they released Tuesday condemning his actions.
He was on sabbatical all year and not working.
A college official reiterated that Ha is barred from campus and is on administrative leave.
A detention hearing is set for Friday afternoon.
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