Robert “Bobby” Thorne, a former vice president at J.P. Morgan Chase (JPMC) in Plano, Texas, was terminated following revelations about his operation of a neo-Nazi account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A groundbreaking investigation by the Texas Observer revealed four major neo-Nazi accounts on X, operated anonymously, with a collective following of nearly 500,000 at their peak. Among the accounts was Noble1945, linked to Thorne, who also managed the now-suspended account Noble_x_x_.
These accounts spread Holocaust denial, Nazi propaganda, and racially charged rhetoric. Thorne’s Noble_x_x_ account was banned in mid-2024 for violent speech, including a tweet celebrating the deaths of Black individuals killed by police.
“The streets are a much safer place with both of them gone,” read one of his posts.
Despite the suspension, Thorne resumed his activities under the alias Noble1945, which remains active with about 7,000 followers.
Data from leaked archives, public records, and facial recognition tools linked Thorne’s X activities to his professional identity. His now-deleted LinkedIn profile confirmed his employment as a vice president at JPMC in Plano, Texas, and matched photos shared on his X accounts.
J.P. Morgan Chase’s Swift Action
After the allegations surfaced, JPMC launched an internal review and swiftly terminated Thorne. Michaela Ross, the bank’s vice president of media relations, confirmed his dismissal.
“We do not tolerate hate in any form and take incidents such as this very seriously,” Ross stated.
The story gained traction after Reddit user u/dust-ranger posted a response from JPMC confirming Thorne’s departure. The post also included the bank’s statement: “We do not tolerate hate in any form and take incidents such as this very seriously.”
Other Operators of Neo-Nazi Accounts Identified
The Observer investigation went beyond Thorne, uncovering the identities of three other prominent operators behind neo-Nazi accounts on X.
Cyan Cruz: TheOfficial1984
Cruz, based in Texas, used his account to share pro-Hitler and Holocaust-denial content. His posts often garnered millions of views, amplifying antisemitic rhetoric to a wide audience.
Investigators tied Cruz’s account to his real identity through leaked email data and a detailed trail of social media profiles. Public records confirmed his connections to Austin and Amarillo, Texas, as well as his previous roles in defunct businesses.
Despite being demonetized for violating X’s hate speech policies, Cruz’s posts continued to attract ads in replies, raising concerns about X’s enforcement mechanisms. This monetization fueled the spread of his extremist content until further restrictions were applied.
Michael Gramer: 9mm_smg
Gramer, a retired mechanical engineer, operated 9mm_smg, where he shared neo-Nazi slogans, white nationalist rhetoric, and admiration for fascism. His posts referenced David Lane’s “14 Words” and Oswald Mosley, a British fascist leader.
Gramer’s account saw exponential growth, climbing from 2,000 followers in early 2023 to over 220,000 in 2024. Investigators confirmed his identity through leaked data breaches and his own posts, in which he admitted to owning property in New Hampshire and Galveston, Texas.
Gramer denied being a neo-Nazi but defended his use of extremist slogans, claiming they were “not extreme.” His contradictory statements illustrate the challenges in combating the normalization of hate speech online.
John Anthony Provenzano: Utism_
Provenzano, a civilian employee at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Maryland, operated the Utism_ account, previously named JohnnyBullzeye. His posts included pro-Nazi, pro-Hitler, and antisemitic content.
Investigators linked Provenzano’s account to his real identity through leaked data, public records, and FOIA requests. The Navy confirmed his employment and stated that an internal investigation is underway. Less than a week after inquiries, the Utism_ account was deleted.
X’s Role in Amplifying Extremism
The investigation reveals the declining moderation of hate content on X under Elon Musk’s leadership. Transparency reports reveal that X addressed only 2,361 hate accounts in 2024, a dramatic drop from the 1 million accounts moderated in 2021.
The identified accounts flourished due to minimal oversight and, in some cases, profited through X Premium, a subscription service that enables revenue sharing based on engagement.
Musk himself has interacted with these accounts, replying to posts from TheOfficial1984 and 9mm_smg. These interactions have emboldened extremist users and raised concerns about the platform’s complicity in promoting hate speech.
Despite public commitments to “deboost” hate content, X has allowed advertisements to appear alongside posts from extremist accounts. Investigators documented ads under posts containing Holocaust denial and antisemitic content, exposing inconsistencies in the platform’s enforcement of its policies.
J.P. Morgan Chase’s swift action in terminating Thorne reflects a growing trend among corporations to distance themselves from employees tied to extremist ideologies. The bank’s response has been widely praised by advocacy groups, including the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center, which have called for greater accountability in addressing hate speech.
The public outcry, amplified by Reddit user u/dust-ranger’s post, underscores the importance of community-led efforts in exposing harmful behavior.
Amazing journalism. Thank you.