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Brazilian authorities have identified Luis da Silva, who was recently deported from the U.S. in April 2025, as the main suspect in a bomb plot that was stopped before Lady Gaga’s free concert in Rio de Janeiro on May 3. The concert drew an estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million people, making it the largest audience ever for a female artist at one show.
Da Silva and a 17-year-old accomplice were arrested just before the event. Officials say they planned to set off explosives and attack the LGBTQ+ community during the concert. Investigations showed they used online platforms like Discord to spread hate and radicalize teens.
Brazilian police launched Operation Fake Monster to break up the extremist group behind the plan. They carried out raids in several states—Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, and Rio Grande do Sul—seizing electronics and arresting others involved.
A third suspect was charged with terrorism, accused of planning a ritual killing of a child at the concert. This person believed Lady Gaga was a Satanist, though Lady Gaga has denied that and says she is a Christian.
Despite the threats, the concert went on without any problems. Security was tight, with about 5,200 military and police officers, drones, facial recognition, and metal detectors in use.
Lady Gaga and her team weren’t told about the threat before the concert; they found out from the news the next day. A spokesperson said the team worked closely with law enforcement during the event and trusted the safety precautions in place.