Neo-Nazi Leader Admits to Planning Attack on Jewish Children in NYC

Michail Chkhikvishvili, age 22, a Georgian citizen and leader of the Maniac Murder Cult (MMC), a white supremacist group, pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn. He was charged with soliciting hate crimes and sharing instructions for making bombs and ricin, as part of a plot to start a racial and religious war in the US.

Chkhikvishvili, known as Commander Butcher or Mishka, ran the MMC, which promotes violence and white supremacy. The group's manifesto, The Hater’s Handbook, told members to commit acts of terror, like bombings, against minorities and the Jewish community.

The New York Plot

Prosecutors said that Chkhikvishvili started planning a terror attack in November 2023, aiming to cause many deaths in New York City around New Year’s Eve by giving poisoned sweets to victims.

The plan initially involved an accomplice dressed as Santa Claus to give toxic sweets to minorities, but it then changed to targeting children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn. Chkhikvishvili talked about his desire to conduct a mass casualty attack in the US because of easy access to guns. He suggested targeting homeless people.

The plot failed when an individual Chkhikvishvili recruited was an undercover FBI agent. Chkhikvishvili was active in Brooklyn since 2022 and bragged about attacking an elderly Jewish man.

International Reach and Inspired Attacks

The Justice Department noted that Chkhikvishvili's online materials, shared on platforms like Telegram, inspired violence around the world:

Nashville, Tennessee (Early 2025): A 17-year-old student committed a school shooting, killing one and injuring another before killing himself. His manifesto cited Chkhikvishvili and the Maniac Murder Cult.

Eskişehir, Turkey (August 2024): A man wearing Nazi symbols stabbed five people near a mosque. His manifesto cited Chkhikvishvili's The Hater's Handbook.

Arrest and Sentencing

Chkhikvishvili was arrested in Moldova in July 2024 and extradited to the US in May 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and prosecutors will seek a sentence of up to 18 years.

FBI Director Kash Patel said, "This case shows that if you intend to harm our citizens, the FBI and our partners will find you and bring you to justice."