Jacob Chansley

Jacob Anthony Chansley, born in 1988, is an American activist and conspiracy theorist, widely recognized for his involvement in the January 6 United States Capitol attack. Known by various monikers including Jake Angeli and QAnon Shaman, Chansley has become a controversial figure in contemporary political discourse.

Chansley's activism began around 2019 in the Phoenix, Arizona area, where he participated in demonstrations, including those supporting climate strikes. His political engagements often included promoting conspiracy theories aligned with former President Donald Trump, and he notably counterprotested at Black Lives Matter events.

Following his participation in the Capitol riot, Chansley was arrested on January 9, facing multiple federal charges, including civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. In September, he pled guilty to a single felony charge and was sentenced to forty-one months in prison, followed by thirty-six months of supervised release. He served part of his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford, Arizona, before being transferred to a halfway house in March 2023, from which he was released in May 2023.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump, during his second term, issued pardons to approximately one thousand five hundred individuals connected to the January 6 attack, including Chansley, marking a significant moment in his controversial journey.