Boston University student charged with threatening campus and staff
BOSTON, May 15, 2026 – A Boston University law student was ordered held without bail today in Brighton BMC after being charged with threatening and harassing university deans, students and the campus itself, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
MAXIMILLIEN SAJOUS, 29, of Chelsea was charged with two counts of threat to commit a crime, two counts of making a bomb or hijack threat, two counts of criminal harassment, and two counts of stalking. Judge Stephen McClenon ordered Sajous held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing May 21.
In January, Sajous received a bill for $20,000 from Boston University, which prompted him to send 200-plus emails to various BU employees. The university attempted to contact Sajous out of concern for his mental health. Sajous never responded.
On March 22, Sajous posted a series of photos to his Instagram stories which depicted:
A Google search of the definition of “reconnaissance.”
A photo believed to be Google street view photo of a Boston University police cruiser at Nickerson Field.
Numerous spent shell casings scattered on the street.
A screenshot from the movie Boyz N the Hood before a drive-by shooting scene.
A photo of the cover of the Federal Investigative Services Division handbook.
A photo of Sajous at Sharpshooter, a gun training organization in Virginia, with a screen that shows “welcome Max Sajous.” Sajous is originally from Virginia.
As a result of this, Sajous was trespassed from all BU properties and Chelsea police were asked to perform a well-being check at his home address. Sajous was not present, and police noted piled-up mail, suggesting he hadn’t been at the address for some time.
On April 23, at 12:12 a.m., Sajous sent an email to numerous BU officials, including the Dean of Students and the Associate Dean for Academic Engagement, that stated “If you see any report that I killed myself, I most definitely did not. If you see any report that I overdosed, I most definitely did not. If you see any report that I killed anyone such as [names of the deans], or others I most definitely did not.”
University police, working with other local and federal agencies, tracked Sajous’s phone to Hong Kong.
At 1:31 p.m. on April 23, Sajous called the school asking specifically for the Dean of Students. When he was informed that the dean was not available, Sajous inquired whether he was at his home. Sajous refused to leave a message or speak to anyone else.
On that same date, Sajous emailed the Associate Dean for Academic Engagement a screenshot of her home, which is an apartment building, and tagged her exact unit number. The dean also reported that Sajous tried contacting her brother about a month earlier.
On April 25, Sajous once again posted a series of photos to his Instagram account:
A photo of the Dean of Students family including a minor child.
A screenshot of a Google search “is Luigi Mangioni a hero.”
A screenshot of multiple gun range targets showing accuracy and precision.
A target from a shooting range in Brookline.
A screen shot of a criminal record for a person matching the Dean of Students name.
A screen shot of what Sajous believed to be the Dean of Students home address.
Arrest warrants were issued for Sajous. Investigators tracked Sajous to China and then Paris, where he went to the U.S. Embassy to ask for assistance coming back to the U.S. Sajous was arrested by BU police at Logan Airport after flying from Paris.
Hayden praised BU police for the Sajous investigation and thanked them for collaborating with other agencies.
“The level of detail in this harassment campaign is extremely disturbing. I’m thankful that Boston University officials and police acted as quickly and effectively as they did. We have too often seen the results when situations like this are not treated with the seriousness they deserve, and that was certainly not the case here,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications