21-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Plotting Attack on Taylor Swift Concert in Vienna
21-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Plotting Attack on Taylor Swift Concert in Vienna
Gina KalsiTue, April 28, 2026 at 2:50 PM UTC
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L-R: Taylor Swift; Beran A at the trialCredit: Phillip Faraone/Getty ; ROLAND SCHLAGER / APA / AFP via Getty -
A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty to plotting an attack on Taylor Swift's Vienna concert in 2024, according to reports
A CIA tip-off led to his arrest in August 2024, a day before the first concert in Vienna
Taylor Swift canceled three sold-out Vienna shows and thanked authorities for stepping in
A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to plotting to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.
The man, only referred to as Beran A in accordance with Austria's privacy policy, attended the opening day of his court trial at the Wiener Neustadt Regional Court, around 37 miles from the capital of Vienna, on Tuesday, April 28.
He faced charges including terror offenses and being a member of a terrorist organization when he was brought into the courtroom, according to Sky News.
Beran A hiding his faceCredit: AP Photo/Matthias Schrader
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Beran A pleaded guilty to the charges relating to the Taylor Swift attack plot, according to Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung, BBC News and The Guardian. It is unclear what other charges he may have pleaded guilty to.
Around 195,000 Taylor Swift fans were due to attend three sold-out concerts at Vienna's Ernst Happl Stadium in 2024, per the BBC.
Beran A was arrested on Aug. 7, the day before the first concert, after a tip-off from the CIA. During a search of Beran A’s property, authorities found bomb-making equipment, per the BBC.
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All three concerts were canceled as a result, with Swift releasing a statement on Instagram, on August 21, 2024.
Taylor Swift's three concerts in Austria were canceledCredit: Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty
She said: “Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.
The "Shake It Off" singer added: “But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”
Fans remained optimistic by gathering in the city and singing along to her top hits and trading their signature friendship bracelets after the performances were called off.
A Taylor Swift fan in ViennaCredit: Sipa via AP Images
Beran A went on trial with another man, only known as Arda K. They are both accused of planning attacks in Istanbul, Dubai and Mecca, per BBC and AP.
Only Beran A is charged in connection with the concert plot. The trial is expected to continue until late May.
The Wiener Neustadt Regional Court was contacted by PEOPLE for further information, but did not immediately respond.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
