Stalking Suspect Arrested for Alleged SNL Bomb Threat

Michael Branham, accused of stalking Scarlett Johansson, was arrested for allegedly threatening to bomb SNL’s studios. He pleaded not guilty and claimed a scammer might have set him up. His bail was set at $100,000, and orders of protection were issued for Johansson and her husband, Colin Jost.

In a dramatic twist, Michael Branham, the man accused of stalking Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson, has found himself behind bars once more. This time, Branham is alleged to have threatened to bomb the studios of 'Saturday Night Live,' where Johansson's husband, Colin Jost, works. The New York Police Department arrested him on April 2, only a day after the reported threat took place, according to court documents obtained by E! News.

During his arraignment, 48-year-old Branham entered a plea of not guilty to charges of falsely reporting an incident and making a threat of mass harm, citing court documents. His bail was set at a substantial $100,000. The arrest followed a bomb threat directed at a Connecticut college, which led the administration to alert authorities. Sources familiar with the matter reported to multiple outlets that law enforcement believes the threat was not credible.

In Branham's defense, public attorney Jamie Niskanen-Singer argued at the arraignment on April 3 that the threat could be the work of a scam artist. Niskanen-Singer suggested Branham may have been duped in the past by someone pretending to be Johansson online. "He may have been hacked, your honor," the attorney claimed, emphasizing that the evidence rests solely on a text message. "It's very possible here that there is someone setting him up." Despite these claims, the judge denied Branham's request for release and issued protective orders for both Johansson and Jost. A follow-up hearing on the bomb threat case is set for April 8, according to court records obtained by E! News.

(With inputs from agencies.)