Shannen Rossmiller

Shannen Rossmiller (May 31, 1970 - November 9, 2020)[1] was an American lecturer and instructor in cyber counter-intelligence forensics and a former Montana municipal court judge[2] who has had a controversial role as a vigilante online terrorist-hunter, and who was once part of the 7Seas group.[3]

A former high school cheerleader, paralegal, and a mother of three, Rossmiller posed online as militant anti-American Muslim radicals to attract the eye of those with similar mindsets.[3] While still a member of 7-Seas group, she provided evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of Ryan G. Anderson, a National Guardsman who was about to deploy from the U.S. to Iraq.[4] Ryan is now serving a life sentence for seeking to aid the enemy during a time of war and attempted espionage.[5]

In 2005, while posing online as an Al Qaeda financier, Rossmiller offered the transient Michael Reynolds $40,000 to purchase fuel trucks to attack American pipelines. Reynolds was arrested when he attempted to pick up the money. In 2007, he was convicted by a jury of attempting to provide material support to Al Qaeda and related charges, and sentenced to 30 years in jail.[6]

Rossmiller appeared in the 2005 BBC documentary entitled The New al-Qaeda.[7] She, along with other internet cyber sleuths, has been criticized for her work.[8][9]

As of July 2007, a publicist was seeking a book or movie deal based on Rossmiller's story,[10] and in 2011 she published a book entitled The Unexpected Patriot.

In November 2020, Shannen died from complications related to Graves' disease.[11]