It was late 2020 when the news broke, and honestly, it felt like something out of a low-budget political thriller. The FBI had just announced they’d foiled a massive terrorist attack in Michigan. We’re talking about a group of men—mostly members of a militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen—who were allegedly planning to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home.
People were stunned.
But as the court cases dragged on through 2022 and 2023, the narrative got messy. It wasn’t just a simple "bad guys vs. good guys" story anymore. Instead, the public was forced to look at the murky world of undercover informants, tactical training in the woods, and the thin line between talking big and actually carrying out a domestic terror strike.
When we talk about the FBI terrorist attack Michigan case today, we’re usually talking about the "Operation Cold Snap" investigation. It remains one of the most significant domestic terrorism stings in modern American history, but the fallout has left a lot of people questioning where the FBI's role ends and where actual criminal intent begins.
The Plan That Never Was: Breaking Down the "Plot"
Let's get into the weeds of what these guys were actually doing. The ringleaders, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., weren't exactly criminal masterminds, but they were angry. Very angry. They were fueled by a mix of anti-government sentiment, frustration over COVID-19 lockdowns, and a deep-seated distrust of state authority.
The plan was wild. They wanted to snatch Governor Whitmer from her summer home in Elk Rapids. To do it, they scouted the area, looked at bridges they could blow up to slow down the police response, and even tinkered with an IED. Fox was living in the basement of a vacuum shop at the time. It’s a detail that sounds almost pathetic until you realize they were actively recruiting people with military experience and buying high-end tactical gear.
The FBI didn't just stumble onto this. They were everywhere.
By the time the arrests happened in October 2020, the FBI had embedded at least a dozen confidential informants and undercover agents into the group. One of the lead informants, a guy named "Big Dan," was actually a postal worker and an Army veteran who joined the militia because he was worried about their talk of killing cops. He ended up being the government's star witness, wearing a wire for months and recording hundreds of hours of conversations.
This is where the controversy starts.
If you look at the defense's argument, they basically said the whole FBI terrorist attack Michigan plot was a product of entrapment. They argued that without the FBI's informants providing the money, the transportation, and the tactical "encouragement," these guys would have just been sitting in a basement complaining about the government. The jury actually listened to this. In the first trial, two defendants were acquitted entirely, and the jury hung on Fox and Croft.
It was a massive blow to the DOJ.
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Why Michigan Became the Epicenter of Domestic Extremism
Michigan has a long, complicated history with militia culture. You can trace it back to the 1990s and the Michigan Militia, which at one point was the largest organization of its kind in the country. It’s a state with a lot of rural space, a strong hunting culture, and a fierce streak of "leave me alone" libertarianism.
When the pandemic hit, that culture collided with government mandates in a way that turned explosive.
- The 2020 protests at the Michigan State Capitol, where armed men entered the gallery, served as a precursor.
- The radicalization happened fast—mostly in private Facebook groups and encrypted messaging apps like Telegram.
- The "Boogaloo" movement—which advocates for a second civil war—found fertile ground here.
Adam Fox and his crew weren't operating in a vacuum. They were part of a broader ecosystem of radicalization. This wasn't just about one FBI terrorist attack Michigan incident; it was about a state that had become a pressure cooker for political violence. The FBI was terrified that if they didn't act, someone was actually going to die.
But did they push too hard?
The second trial for Fox and Croft ended in convictions, with Fox getting 16 years and Croft getting 19. The government argued that while the informants were present, the defendants were "predisposed" to commit the crime. They already hated the Governor. They already wanted to start a revolution. The FBI just gave them the rope, and they chose to tie the noose.
The Informant Problem: "Big Dan" and the Murky Middle
We have to talk about the informants because that's where the "human" element of this story gets really weird.
Take Dan Chappel (Big Dan). He was paid over $50,000 by the FBI for his work. For a guy who just wanted to make sure his local militia wasn't going to hurt anyone, that’s a lot of money. The defense used this to claim he was essentially a "provo-agent"—someone paid to stir up trouble so the FBI could swoop in and look like heroes.
Then there was Stephen Robeson. He was an informant with a long criminal record who the FBI later had to disown because he was allegedly committing crimes while working for them.
It’s messy.
When you read the transcripts of the recordings, you hear these guys talking big. They’re using code names. They’re swearing. They’re talking about "resetting" the government. But you also hear the informants nudging them. "Hey, what about this bridge?" "How are we going to get her out of the house?"
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Critics of the FBI terrorist attack Michigan investigation say this is "manufactured terrorism." They argue that the FBI finds marginalized, often mentally unstable or financially struggling men, and builds a plot around them. Supporters, however, point out that you can't force someone to scout a governor's house or build a bomb if they don't already want to do it.
The Legal Legacy: Acquittals and Convictions
The legal tally for the Whitmer plot is all over the place.
- Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr.: Convicted in federal court after a retrial. They are the "faces" of the plot.
- Ty Garbin: Pleaded guilty early and cooperated. He got a significantly reduced sentence and actually testified against the others.
- The State Level Cases: Several men were tried in Jackson and Antrim counties. Some were convicted of providing material support for terrorist acts, while others were acquitted.
The acquittals in the state trials were a shock to many. In 2023, three men—Eric Molitor and twin brothers William and Michael Null—were found not guilty by a jury in Antrim County. Their defense was simple: they didn't know the full extent of the plan and were just exercising their Second Amendment rights.
This highlights a massive divide in how we view domestic terrorism. In some parts of Michigan, these guys were seen as dangerous terrorists. In others, they were seen as "fools" who were led astray by the federal government.
The FBI terrorist attack Michigan case didn't just end with handcuffs; it deepened the political chasm in the state.
What This Means for Future Domestic Terror Investigations
The FBI has since pivoted. After January 6th, the focus on domestic violent extremism (DVE) skyrocketed. But the Michigan case serves as a warning label.
If the Bureau uses too many informants, they risk "polluting" the evidence. If they wait too long to arrest, someone might actually get hurt. It's a lose-lose scenario for law enforcement in the court of public opinion.
We also have to look at the role of social media. The "Wolverine Watchmen" didn't meet at a local VFW hall. They met on Facebook. They radicalized in the comments sections of news articles. The FBI terrorist attack Michigan plot was a "digital-first" conspiracy that transitioned into the real world.
The most chilling part isn't the kidnapping plan itself. It's the fact that after the arrests, some people actually cheered for the kidnappers. The radicalization didn't stop because a few guys went to prison.
Assessing the Real Threat
Was there ever a real threat of a successful FBI terrorist attack Michigan?
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Realistically, the chances of these guys successfully kidnapping a sitting Governor with a professional security detail were slim to none. They were disorganized. They bickered. They didn't have the logistical support to hold a high-profile hostage.
But that's not really the point of terrorism.
Terrorism is about the message. The goal was to inspire others. Even a failed attempt—a bomb going off under a bridge or a shootout with state police—would have served their purpose of destabilizing the government.
When we look back at this case, we shouldn't just focus on whether they were "competent" enough to win. We should focus on the fact that they were willing to try.
Practical Insights: How to Navigate the Fallout
If you're following the developments of domestic extremism or just trying to understand the legal landscape in Michigan, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, the definition of "terrorism" is legally specific. Under Michigan law, it involves an act that is intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the conduct of government. It doesn't require a successful explosion; it requires the intent and a "substantial step" toward the act.
Second, the debate over entrapment isn't going away. If you’re following future cases, watch the "predisposition" argument. That is the legal fulcrum. Did the person want to do the crime before the government showed up?
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit Your Information Sources: Domestic radicalization often happens in echo chambers. If you're researching militia movements or anti-government groups, cross-reference local Michigan reporting (like the Detroit Free Press or The Detroit News) with national court transcripts to see the gap between rhetoric and reality.
- Understand the Legal Standards: Research the difference between "Material Support for Terrorism" and "Conspiracy." In the Michigan cases, the specific charges often determined why some walked free and others went to federal prison.
- Monitor State vs. Federal Jurisdictions: The FBI terrorist attack Michigan case showed that local juries often have very different "reasonable doubt" thresholds than federal juries. This is a crucial distinction for anyone studying the American legal system.
- Focus on De-escalation: If you know someone slipping into extremist rhetoric online, recognize that the path from "angry posts" to "legal trouble" is shorter than most people think. Organizations like Life After Hate provide resources for extracting individuals from these environments before the FBI gets involved.
The story of the Michigan kidnapping plot is a mess of political anger, government overreach, and genuine criminal intent. It’s a reminder that in the modern era, the most dangerous threats often start in a basement and end in a federal courtroom.