Chicago Man Indicted Over Alleged Hoax Bomb Threat to Disney Cruise Line

A frustrating day of spam calls allegedly escalated into a serious federal case after a Chicago man was accused of making a bomb threat against Disney Cruise Line. Federal prosecutors say the 20-year-old called the cruise line in December and claimed he had a bomb aboard a ship traveling from the Bahamas.

What’s Happening:

• According to Orlando Sentinel, Daquan Smith has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Orlando on one count of interstate transmission of a threat, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if he is convicted. Smith pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday.
• According to the indictment, Smith allegedly made the call from his cellphone on December 6, 2025. The threat referenced a boat “coming from the Bahamas that left two days ago,” before the caller allegedly said, “I’m letting you guys know now I have a bomb on the boat, and I want to blow it up.”
• Authorities later identified Smith as the person who allegedly made the call. Investigators subsequently interviewed Smith and his mother as part of the investigation.
• A report filed in federal court provides Smith’s alleged explanation for making the call. According to the report, Smith told FBI agents that he had been receiving spam calls throughout the day and called Disney Cruise Line because it was the most recent number to contact him.
• The report states that Smith said he made the call out of frustration and did not intend to harm Disney Cruise Line or anyone else. Prosecutors nevertheless brought the federal charge based on the alleged transmission of the threat.
• It remains unclear whether the call resulted in any evacuations or other immediate disruption involving a Disney Cruise Line vessel. The alleged threat was also not publicly reported on the day prosecutors say it occurred.
• The case has become a jurisdictional dispute as Smith's defense seeks to have the proceedings moved from Florida to Illinois. Smith was in Chicago when prosecutors allege he made the call, and he was arrested in Illinois in July before being released on bond.
• His attorney has filed a motion seeking to dismiss the Orlando case and have the matter handled in Illinois. Court documents indicate that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated the incident, but a detective later told the FBI that the agency was unable to prosecute the case because the alleged conduct occurred outside its jurisdiction.
• Smith’s defense is also challenging the way his interview with the FBI was conducted. His attorney is seeking to suppress statements from the interview, arguing that it was not recorded and that agents did not read Smith his Miranda rights.
• A judge has not yet ruled on either motion. Smith’s next hearing is scheduled for October 13.
• Because the allegations remain contested in court, Smith is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
• The case highlights how a seemingly impulsive phone call can quickly become a federal matter when it involves an alleged threat communicated across state lines. For Disney Cruise Line and its passengers, the incident also underscores the seriousness with which threats involving cruise ships and maritime travel are treated, regardless of whether authorities ultimately determine that the person making the threat intended to carry it out.

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