The San Francisco Sheriff’s Workplace is investigating whether or not federal Division of Authorities Effectivity impersonators dedicated any felony acts earlier this month once they entered Metropolis Corridor and allegedly demanded entry to worker computer systems.
On Feb. 14, three males sporting MAGA hats and DOGE shirts entered varied workplaces at San Francisco Metropolis Corridor and apparently requested staff to show over digital info associated to alleged wasteful authorities spending and fraud.
The town staff denied the boys entry and notified sheriff’s deputies, in line with a press release the Sheriff’s Workplace launched on the day of the incident. The boys apparently left the constructing earlier than deputies may reply.
DOGE was established by President Donald Trump by way of an govt order with the purpose of eliminating what the division deems as wasteful authorities spending. Trump appointed billionaire Elon Musk to move the division, which has confronted criticism for eliminating hundreds of presidency jobs and accessing the Treasury Division’s fee techniques.
Prank video surfaces
The Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned it was investigating by reviewing surveillance footage, however greater than every week handed with no updates on the case.
Nonetheless, on Monday the perpetrators revealed themselves by posting a video to YouTube referred to as “Fake DOGE Raids in San Francisco (Liberal Meltdown).”
Danny Mullen is a YouTuber who boasts almost 850,000 subscribers. His movies include pranks and provocateur stunts alongside comic Leandro Dottavio.
Within the video, Mullen and Dottavio might be seen coming into completely different workplaces, asking a number of staff for entry to pc information.
(Danny Mullen/YouTube)
“I’m going to have to put a thumb drive into your computer to see what you been up to,” Mullen mentioned to an worker who then refused his request.
“Listen, we need access to your computers,” Mullen mentioned to employees within the Evaluation Appeals Board info workplace. “We wanted to audit your computer systems.”
A few of his remarks had been apparently meant to be extra comedic than demanding.
“What are you working on today? Sending tampons to dolphins in Timbuktu?” Mullen requested a Metropolis Corridor employee. “Are you sending condoms to Gaza?”
The Sheriff’s Workplace confirmed in a press release on Tuesday that Mullen and his prankster workforce had been certainly the boys they had been investigating within the faux DOGE raid case.
“Those who intentionally obstruct our employees’ efforts to serve our residents and visitors may be subject to arrest.”
San Francisco Sheriff’s Workplace assertion
“The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office expects to complete its investigation soon into the 2/14/25 incident at City Hall after video surfaced showing that the individuals impersonating DOGE were engaged in a ‘prank’ for the benefit of YouTube notoriety,” sheriff’s spokesperson Tara Moriarty mentioned within the assertion.
Moriarty mentioned that the conduct of Mullen and his workforce was harassing and “went beyond courteous interactions.”
‘Can you all please just leave?’
A lot of the Metropolis Corridor employees proven within the video appeared confused but detached to Mullen’s antics.
“This is seriously what you want to spend your time doing right now?” one worker requested Mullen and his workforce. “Can you all please just leave?”
The Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned it’s figuring out if the YouTube pranksters dedicated a criminal offense, particularly interfering with public enterprise.
YouTuber Danny Mullen, posing as a Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) inspector, confronts a San Francisco Metropolis Corridor employee on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in a framegrab from his prank video that has been considered almost 120,000 instances on the social media platform. (Framegrab by way of Danny Mullen/YouTube)
In line with state legislation, it’s a misdemeanor to deliberately disrupt the enterprise of public staff by obstructing or intimidating after which refusing to go away upon request.
“Those who intentionally obstruct our employees’ efforts to serve our residents and visitors may be subject to arrest,” the Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned.
The San Francisco District Lawyer’s Workplace didn’t reply to a request for remark inquiring whether or not it plans to press costs.
Mullen beforehand made headlines in San Francisco for his provocateur stunt on the metropolis’s Democratic Social gathering headquarters just a few days earlier than Election Day in November of final yr. The video was titled “Terrorizing the Kamala Harris HQ (Liberal Meltdown)” and featured Mullen and Dottavio dressed head to toe in MAGA gear, apparently making an attempt to transform Democratic occasion members to vote for Trump.
Mullen didn’t reply to a request for remark in time for publication.
