Timur Mamatov, 20, of Ohio, pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime against two Jewish students at The Ohio State University, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Friday.
Court documents state that Mamatov assaulted the students outside a bar in Columbus on Nov. 10, 2023.
During an altercation, he asked the students—one of whom was wearing a chai necklace, the Hebrew word for “life”—if they were Jewish. When they answered yes, Mamatov punched one student, fracturing the victim’s jaw, while another student suffered a fractured nose during the ensuing fight.
“Mamatov admitted in court today that he assaulted victims because they were Jewish,” said Dominick Gerace, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “No American should fear being violently attacked based on their religious beliefs.”
Mamatov faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted under the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
A lawsuit filed in April of 2024 alleged that Ohio State, a public school, created an “antisemitic hostile environment that is now pervasive” towards Jewish and Israeli students, while also being “dismissive” of their concerns.
