Indian-Origin Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Attempted Attack on White House
Indian National Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempted Attack on White House
Indian national Sai Varshith Kandula, 20, was sentenced to eight years for an attempted attack on the White House with a rented truck on May 22, 2023. The attack was aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected American government to replace it with a dictatorship fueled by Nazi ideology, according to the Department of Justice.
Kandula, who pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024, to a charge of willful injury or depredation of US property, was born in Chandanagar, India, and was a lawful permanent resident of the US with a green card. In addition to the prison term, District Court Judge Dabney L Friedrich ordered Kandula to serve three years of supervised release.
The Attack
Kandula flew on a commercial flight from St. Louis, Missouri, to Washington D.C. on the afternoon of May 22, 2023, connecting through another airport on a one-way airline ticket. Upon arriving at Dulles International Airport around 5:20 pm, he rented a truck at 6:30 pm. He then drove to Washington, D.C., where he crashed into the barriers protecting the White House and the President’s Park at 9:35 pm.
After crashing into the barriers at the intersection of H Street, Northwest, and 16th Street, Northwest, Kandula drove onto the sidewalk, causing pedestrians to run from the scene. The truck backed up in reverse after the first impact, then lurched forward, striking the metal barriers a second time. The truck was disabled, smoking from the engine compartment and leaking fluids.
Kandula exited the vehicle, went to the back of the truck, and removed a flag with a Nazi Swastika in the center, which he brandished. US Park Police and US Secret Service officers arrested Kandula at the scene and took him into custody.
Intent and Planning
According to the plea agreement, Kandula’s intent was to gain access to the White House to seize political power and replace the democratically elected government with a dictatorship fueled by Nazi ideology. He admitted to investigators that he would have arranged for the killing of the US President and others if necessary to achieve his objective.
The Department of Justice stated that Kandula’s actions caused $4,322 in damage to the National Park Service, including costs for repairing the metal bollard barriers, oil and chemical removal, spill cleanup, and disposal of fluids from the crashed U-Haul.
Kandula had planned the attack for several weeks, making attempts to gain access to vehicles or armed security guards. For example, on April 22, 2023, he requested 25 armed guards and an armored convoy from a security company located in Virginia. Additionally, on May 4, 2023, he tried to contact several other companies to rent large commercial vehicles but was unsuccessful.
In conclusion, Sai Varshith Kandula’s attempted attack on the White House was a serious threat to national security, and his sentencing reflects the severity of his actions.