December 2025 TorchStone Global Monthly Executive Protection Report
TorchStone Global believes that broader situational awareness and intelligence are key to providing quality executive protection—whether the principal is a Fortune 500 CEO, international celebrity, or local city council member. Our monthly executive protection report catalogues incidents we have captured through our open-source searches that are relevant to the practice of executive protection. We hope the report will serve as a centralized source of threat activity to provide insight into current trends in threats to high-profile individuals.
For more information on customized threat tracking for at-risk individuals, threat assessments, executive protection, or other security services, please contact us.
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Summary
The TorchStone Executive Protection Report tracked 18 domestic and 14 international security incidents impacting high-profile individuals during the month of December 2025. Below are some key incidents of note over the past month.
Please note that the first two graphics only cover incidents that occurred over the past month and do not capture all of the data in the report. Incidents that occurred in previous months, but were only reported recently, are not reflected in the graphics for the past month. They are captured in the longer-term EP Targeting Trends and Venue of EP Incidents by Target.
- Another trend that TorchStone noticed this month was the vulnerability of high-profile individuals to mentally unstable family members. In one of the most high-profile murders of 2025, acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner, and his wife, Michele, were killed in their own home. Police arrested their son, who has publicly suffered from addiction and mental health issues. In a similar case earlier in the month, opera singer Jubilant Sykes was also killed in his home, and police arrested the singer’s son, who had a history of mental illness. The two cases follow another attack against a German mayor in October in her own home by her daughter. Threats from family members pose a unique challenge to security professionals, who have to manage their own principals’ well-being with family relations and commitments. These recent incidents provide a good opportunity to discuss sensitive topics about inter-family threats and how to manage them with protectees.
- The December 14 attack on a Hanukkah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach served as a reminder of violent antisemitic attacks. While not specifically targeted because of their office, the attack killed a rabbi and a regional Jewish leader, which also highlights the threat to community leaders, who rarely have any kind of formal protection. Just three days before the attack, a delegation of Israeli lawmakers canceled a planned trip to Tbilisi, Georgia, to promote Israel, citing an unspecified threat.
- We also continued to see professional burglary teams target the homes of professional athletes. Tennessee Titans player Jeffery Simmon’s Nashville home was targeted while he was traveling for an away game in California. At around the same time, another home burglary crew broke into the LA-area home of WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu. It is unclear where Ionescu was at the time of the burglary. In both cases, burglars gained entrance to the homes by breaking in through large, glass-paneled doors. This is a recurring tactic and serves as a reminder to protect large glass panels, as they create a vulnerability to home security.
Business Executive
| Location: Zapopan, Mexico | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Public Area |
December 29, 2025: Armed assailants killed businessman Alberto “El Prieto” Prieto Valencia, his 16-year-old daughter, and a bodyguard in a targeted ambush. About 10 gunmen fired for more than 10 minutes at the victims’ Lamborghini Urus, leaving over 200 shell casings. Authorities assessed the attack as a product of organized crime; no arrests were reported. The shooting occurred near Estadio Akron, a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue, raising security concerns.
Celebrity
| Location: Guri, South Korea | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Home |
November 15, 2025: An armed intruder broke into actor and musician Nana’s home in the Acheon-dong neighborhood. The intruder climbed a ladder up to a balcony with an unlocked door and physically assaulted Nana’s mother upon entering the home. Alerted to the struggle, Nana confronted the intruder and managed to restrain him until police arrived. Both Nana and her mother sustained unspecified injuries.
| Location: Wellington, FL | Tactic: Other Crime | Venue: Home |
November 16, 2025: Police arrested a 19-year-old suspect who helped to rob the Palm Beach home of rapper Daniel Hernandez (alias Tekashi 6ix9ine). According to police, three masked suspects entered Hernandez’ residence and briefly held his mother hostage as they perused the residence for valuables. Police traced the suspect’s cellphone data to the area of the incident and confirmed his involvement in the robbery with surveillance camera footage.
| Location: Meghalaya, India | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Restricted Area |
December 6, 2025: A fan bypassed security and rushed the stage during musician Kanika Kapoor’s performance at the Me’gong Festival. The fan briefly grabbed the singer’s legs before security successfully intercepted him.
| Location: Santa Monica, CA | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Home |
December 8, 2025: Opera singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed to death by his son at his home. Sykes’ wife claimed that their son had a history of mental illness; however, authorities could not determine the extent to which this influenced his actions.
| Location: Brisbane, Australia | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Restricted Area |
December 9, 2025: On-site security detained Johnson Wes, alias “Pyjama Man,” prior to a Lady Gaga concert. As noted in last month’s report, Wes previously breached security and physically harassed Ariana Grande at a concert in Singapore three weeks prior to this incident.
| Location: Santa María Zacatepec, Mexico | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Restricted Area |
| Location: Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Home |
December 14, 2025: Actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were stabbed to death at their residence. The couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick, was arrested as the prime suspect. The couple’s daughter, Romy, reportedly discovered her father’s body after a massage therapist contacted her, alerting her that they were unable to access the residence for a scheduled appointment. Police arrested Nick, who lived in a guesthouse on his parents’ property, later that evening. Nick reportedly had a history of behavioral issues and drug abuse and was allegedly behaving erratically at a holiday party attended by his parents on December 13. Nick appeared in court on December 17 after being charged with two counts of first-degree homicide. The incident generated an extremely high level of national attention, which continued following critical remarks from President Donald Trump. This is the second recent case of a prominent LA celebrity being murdered by an estranged child with mental health issues, following Jubilant Sykes’ death the week prior.
| Location: Nashville, TN | Tactic: Other Crime | Venue: Home |
December 14, 2025: Police responded after intruders broke a glass window or door to gain entry into Tennessee Titans NFL player Jeffery Simmons’ Nashville home, targeting his master bedroom in a coordinated burglary. Simmons reported that the thieves appeared to know their way around his house. The Titans’ security team is assisting the Metro Nashville Police Department in investigating the incident and recovering stolen property.
| Location: Los Angeles, CA | Tactic: Other Crime | Venue: Home |
December 15, 2025: Two burglars stole several handbags worth over $60,000 USD from the Mar Vista home of WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu and her husband, former NFL player Hroniss Grasu. The thieves entered the home by smashing an unprotected glass door. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
| Location: Los Angeles, CA | Tactic: Other Crime | Venue: Home |
December 17, 2025: LAPD arrested two men for driving Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero’s SUV without his permission. The thieves were traced to a hotel in Hollywood and identified via surveillance footage. Investigations are ongoing.
| Location: Faridpur, Bangladesh | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Restricted Area |
December 26, 2025: Bangladeshi musician James’ performance was cancelled after a violent mob pelted attendees with bricks and stones. In total, 25 attendees were injured.
Federal Government
| Location: Bamako, Mali | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Public Area |
September 26, 2025: The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in Mali, abducted an Emirati sheikh and his two business partners. The organization released the trio in October after receiving a $50,000,000 USD ransom from an unknown source. The exchange also included the release of around 30 JNIM prisoners held by Malian authorities. The sheikh’s ransom payment is among many that have occurred under JNIM in Mali and reflects the increasing prevalence of “economic jihad” in the country.
| Location: New York, NY; Rochester, NY; Binghamton, NY | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Office |
December 1, 2025: US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reported that three of his New York offices were targeted by an emailed bomb threat. Local and federal police ensured the safety of all three locations.
| Location: Absecon, NJ | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 9, 2025: Federal police arrested two twin brothers after they threatened to shoot and kill the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, as well as ICE officers in general, on social media. Both brothers face charges stemming from the threat.
| Location: Tbilisi, Georgia | Tactic: Stalking | Venue: Public Area |
December 11, 2025: Israeli Knesset members cancelled a planned trip to Georgia for Israeli Week—a conference organized by the Israel-Georgian Chamber of Commerce—after authorities received evidence of a potential terrorist plot targeting the conference. The Knesset declined to elaborate on the exact reason for the cancellation.
| Location: Salisbury, MD | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 11, 2025: The FBI arrested a man who made threats against President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other federal government officials multiple times in mid-November 2025. The suspect made his threats via a pseudonymous account on Facebook and consistently posted claims that he would “meet” Trump and Vance personally with the intent of torturing or killing them.
| Location: London, UK | Tactic: Stalking | Venue: Home |
December 23, 2025: London Metropolitan Police arrested a man for trespassing at Kensington Palace on December 21 and 23, 2025. The heir to the British throne, Prince William, maintains a residence at Kensington Palace, but it is unclear if he or any of his family were present at the time of the intrusions. The suspect also faces prior charges related to breaching bail conditions.
| Location: Nadia, West Bengal, India | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 27, 2025: West Bengal Legislative Assembly member Ashim Kumar Sarkar issued a police complaint after claiming to receive death threats throughout the week. Sarkar identified two distinct phone numbers that the callers used to threaten him.
State Government
| Location: Michiana Shores, IN | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Home |
November 28, 2025: On December 1, Indiana State Senator Mike Bohacek revealed that a bomb threat targeting his home was sent to him after he announced his intent to vote against state redistricting. Bohacek was among several other Indiana state senators subjected to related threats and negative fixations throughout the last two months.
| Location: Lafayette, IN | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Home |
December 2, 2025: Indiana State Senator Ron Alting received an emailed bomb threat targeting his home. Alting was among several other Indiana state senators subjected to related threats and negative fixations throughout the last two months.
| Location: Salt Lake City, UT | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 4, 2025: : Police arrested a man who made multiple death threats over the phone to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson, and State Senate President Stuart Adams. The suspect frequently made harassing calls to Cox’s office; after state police warned him to stop making these calls, the suspect called the Utah Senate and threatened to shoot Cox, Henderson, and Adams.
| Location: New Albany, IN | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Home |
December 10, 2025: : Indiana State Representative Ed Clere received a bomb threat targeting his home; state police cleared the site of threats. Clere claimed that other Indiana legislators received similar threats the same night. Clere was among several other Indiana state legislators subjected to related threats and negative fixations throughout the last two months.
Local Government
| Location: Vienna, Austria | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Public Area |
November 26, 2025: Deputy Mayor of Kharkiv Serhiy Kuzmin’s son, Daniil, was murdered by two assailants who targeted him for his cryptocurrency wallets. The assailants lured Kuzmin’s son to a hotel parking garage; there, they beat and tortured him until he divulged the password to his wallets and, ultimately, locked him in a car which they set on fire. Ukrainian police arrested both suspects on November 29, one of whom was revealed to be a college classmate of Kuzmin’s son. The murder of Kuzmin’s son is consistent with past attacks targeting wealthy cryptocurrency investors.
| Location: Scranton, PA | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
| Location: Tiberias, Israel | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Office |
December 4, 2025: A disgruntled resident threatened to kill Tiberias Mayor Yossi Neveah and construction workers renovating a local tourist attraction. The suspect entered municipality offices and verbally issued death threats to staff.
| Location: Granger, MN | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Home |
December 10, 2025: A swatting incident targeted St. Joseph County Councilwoman Amy Drake’s home prior to an important legislation vote. Authorities approached Drake’s home for a welfare check while she was observing public testimonies preceding the vote. An investigation is ongoing.
| Location: Thessaloniki, Greece | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 12, 2025: Police arrested a man for posting threats on an unspecified social media platform targeting Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis. The man was identified and arrested in response to a police complaint made by Angeloudis.
| Location: San Antonio, TX | Tactic: Verbal/Written Threat | Venue: Office |
December 15, 2025: Police arrested a member of San Antonio District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez’ staff for leaving a threatening note under District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears’ desk reading “die fascist.” Investigators identified one of Gonzalez’ staff member as the suspect.
| Location: Minneapolis, MN | Tactic: Stalking | Venue: Office |
December 16, 2025: Minneapolis City Council Member Emily Koski secured a restraining order against an individual who had stalked her since 2023. Koski stated that she pursued the restraining order after the stalker’s physical threats started to escalate.
| Location: Boise, ID | Tactic: Harassment | Venue: Communication Channels |
December 22, 2025: A local business owner offered a $10,000 USD minimum reward for providing any information that may lead to the arrest of Boise Mayor Lauren McLean. McLean’s security team temporarily heightened their activity following the business owner’s announcement.
Community Leader
| Location: Sydney, Australia | Tactic: Attack | Venue: Public Area |
December 14, 2025: Two gunmen opened fire on attendees of a Hanukkah Event at Bondi Beach. The attack killed 15 people, including Chabad rabbi Yaakov Levitan and B’nai B’rith New South Wales president Edith Brutman. The gunmen arrived in Sydney weeks prior to the shooting and prepared firearms and IEDs at a local rental property.