FBI Arrests Alabama Man, 29, After Epic Reports Fortnite Voice Chat Threats

The FBI has arrested a Fortnite player after Epic Games reported threatening messages he made during voice chat.

Edward Frith, a dedicated Fortnite player from Alabama, was arrested last week when FBI agents arrived at his home following a report from Epic about alarming statements he made while playing the game.

According to an affidavit obtained by Aftermath, Frith, who used the username "WagesOfNinja," expressed a desire to "literally murder somebody" and stated that he thinks about killing "every day." He claimed he was releasing all his pent-up rage.

In one disturbing comment, Frith said, "Let's see if the FBI is going to show up at my door because I'll shoot them motherf****rs too." Shortly after, the FBI did indeed show up at his door. Other comments were equally troubling, with Frith suggesting he planned to end his life by charging at police.

Epic made a "voluntary emergency disclosure" to the FBI's National Threat Operations Section (NTOS) Exigent Threat Research and Analysis Crisis Team (EXTRACT) regarding the statements. The developer provided the FBI with an audio recording and transcript of the threats.

Frith was indicted on September 23 for violating Interstate Threatening Communications. He pleaded "not guilty" on September 24 and was remanded into custody while awaiting trial.

Epic Games introduced a new voice reporting system for Fortnite in November 2023. This feature allows players to clip audio and anonymously report others who violate community rules.

"The only way Epic ever receives a copy of the audio clip is if voice reporting is on and a participant affirmatively reports the voice chat using the in-game voice reporting feature," Epic explained at the time.

Once a report is filed, the last five minutes of communications are captured and sent to Epic's moderation team for review. Depending on the severity, players can face bans or, as in this case, be reported to federal authorities.

Additionally, Fortnite players can report text chat, which is stored for 30 days. Epic also uses autonomous systems to detect harmful language, including "self-harm, child endangerment, and threats of real-world violence."

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images.