Epic reports Fortnite voice chat threats to the FBI: Edward Frith charged
IGN says Epic Games sent an audio recording and transcript of alleged Fortnite voice chat threats to the FBI. Edward Frith was arrested and charged.
- The suspect is identified as Edward Frith, a 29-year-old man from Alabama who allegedly used the Fortnite name "WagesOfNinja."
- IGN says Frith was charged on September 23 with Interstate Threatening Communications and pleaded not guilty on September 24.
What happened
IGN reports that Epic Games sent a report about alleged threats in Fortnite voice chat to the FBI, along with an audio recording and transcript. The report names Edward Frith as the player behind the remarks, describing him as a 29-year-old man from Alabama. The source also says Frith allegedly used the username "WagesOfNinja" in Fortnite.
According to IGN, the FBI later showed up at Frith’s home and arrested him. The report also quotes the alleged remarks, including a line about wanting to "literally murder somebody" and thinking about killing someone "every day." Because the underlying affidavit and full court file were not included, those quotes are being reported here as claims from the source rather than independently verified findings.
IGN further says Frith was charged on September 23 with Interstate Threatening Communications and pleaded not guilty on September 24. The available context does not include a full public case file with all filings, but it does point to a federal charge, an arrest, and a formal not-guilty plea. The source also links the case to Fortnite’s voice reporting system, since Epic allegedly provided the audio and transcript through that moderation channel.
Timeline
November 2023 — Epic Games reportedly introduces voice reporting in Fortnite as a moderation tool.
2024 — Epic reportedly reports alleged Fortnite voice chat threats to the FBI, including audio and transcript.
2024 — The FBI reportedly visits Edward Frith’s home in Alabama and arrests him, according to IGN.
September 23 — Frith is reportedly charged with Interstate Threatening Communications.
September 24 — Frith pleads not guilty, IGN reports.
Background
Epic Games added voice reporting to Fortnite in November 2023 as part of its moderation tools. It lets players submit audio as evidence alongside existing options like blocking, muting, and reporting. In the provided context, that feature is specifically identified as the route through which the alleged threat report was sent.
The available sources do not include a full public court file, but they do mention a federal charge, an arrest, and a not-guilty plea. The case is linked in the source to a 29-year-old man from Alabama and the username "WagesOfNinja." The dates of September 23 for the charge and September 24 for the plea are also cited in the source.