Jewish Teen Behind JCC Bomb Threats Has Bitcoin Wallet Worth Millions

The Jewish teenager suspected of making over 100 hoax bomb threats to Jewish Community Centres (JCCs) in the US is believed to have earned a small fortune selling drugs and fake documents online.

When it initially emerged that Israeli-based Michael Kaydar [Ed note: his real name is Michael Kadar], 18, held a Bitcoin account worth millions of shekels (a million shekels = £220,000, $273,000) -- it prompted suspicions that he may have been in the employment of another party.

However, Israeli news site Haaretz reported on 6 April that police believe he acquired the Bitcoin by selling drugs and forged documents such as passports and visas through the Dark Web.

He may also have been paid by criminals to hack businesses. Police do not currently know who made the payments to the teenager. His earnings may have resulted from thousands of small criminal transactions.

"To all the Jews in the United States, I want to convey an unequivocal message. We are very sorry, from the bottom of our hearts," the unnamed father said on Channel 2 on Monday. "We are good Jews, we do not hate you. There was no hatred here. He was motivated solely by the disease."

The parents claim their 18-year-old son has severe autism and a brain tumor that affects his behavior, which led him to issue the threats against Jewish community centers in the United States and around the world. A gag order has been placed on the identity of the suspect.

The father, who works in hi-tech, was arrested along with his son on suspicion that he was aware of the threats. He was released on Thursday and claims he was unaware of his son's activities.

The father also said he was exposed to "destructive chemicals" and had multiple tumors operated on.

"I underwent three operations to remove tumors, and my son also has a tumor," the man said.