Man Accused of Stalking Scarlett Johansson Nabbed Following SNL Bomb Scare
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Scarlett Johansson's purported stalker has been apprehended following claims of threatening to detonate a bomb at the studio of Saturday Night Live, the well-known television program where her spouse, Colin Jost, serves as a staff writer and co-host of the Weekend Update segment, as indicated by court documents and law enforcement authorities.
Scarlett Johansson’s alleged stalker arrested
Michael Joseph Branham, a 48-year-old man identified as Johansson's alleged stalker, has a tattoo of the name "Scarlett" encircled by a heart on his torso. He was apprehended in Manhattan on Wednesday for reportedly sending threatening text messages. The criminal complaint details one such message, which stated, “THE NEXT TIME YOU HERE [sic] FROM ME I WILL BE ON CNN FOR EXPLODING A BOMB IN SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE AUDIENCE.”
According to police sources, a global security investigator for NBC Universal and 30 Rock alerted the Midtown North Precinct about the threatening communications on Tuesday. Branham, who has four outstanding warrants in Kentucky, was taken into custody in New York City for the bomb threat, which prosecutors allege arose from his personal fixation on Johansson. He appeared in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday, facing felony charges that include false reporting and making threats of mass harm. The court set his bail at $100,000 in cash or $300,000 in bond.
This reportedly delusional fan, who is a father to two daughters aged 18 and 5, exhibited erratic behavior on X, where he claimed that Johansson was his “fiancée,” professed his love for her, and even expressed gratitude for allegedly purchasing him "a car." In November 2023, he posted, “Don’t worry about anything #SCARLETTINGRIDJOHANSSON I still have not cheated on you no matter what the brain interface people tell you in the air waves!!! I love you honey I’m waiting for you still in Hollywood.”
Branham’s lawyer asks for lowered bail
The public defender for Braham, Jamie Niskanen-Singer from Legal Aid, requested a reduction in bail, arguing that the individual who allegedly stalked his client had previously been a victim of scams involving impersonators of The Avenger actor. He suggested that the threatening messages could be the work of the same scammer, as reported by the New York Post.
As stated in The New York Post, the attorney contended, “He has shared personal information. It’s possible he has been hacked, your honor. There is a strong likelihood that someone is attempting to frame him.” Additionally, he urged the judge to consider that his client has no prior incidents involving weapons.
Despite these arguments, Judge Janet McDonnell remained unconvinced. She remarked, “Let’s not forget the reason we are here. We are here because he threatened to bomb ‘Saturday Night Live,’ which constitutes a violent offense that qualifies for bail.” During the arraignment hearing, Judge McDonnell issued protection orders for both Johansson and Jost, despite the defendant's attorney's objections.
Jamie contended that such protection was unnecessary, stating, “Scarlett Johansson is neither a victim nor a witness to this crime. She did not see it, hear it, or report it,” as reported by The New York Post.
Last year, Johansson sought a restraining order against Branham, who allegedly claimed to be the father of one of her children and made other strange claims about her on social media. The 40-year-old actress reported that Branham had been harassing her for over a year, even appearing at her residence in November 2023. However, her request for protection was denied by a California court in April 2024 due to her attorney's failure to properly serve him with the required court documents, as reported by The Blast.
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