Federal Authorities: Georgian Neo-Nazi Leader Planned Poison Attack on NYC Jewish Children

A neo-Nazi group leader is in custody after federal officials say he attempted to solicit attacks against Jews and minorities in New York. Authorities arrested Michail Chkhikvishvili in Chișinău, Moldova, on July 6, 2024, based on an Interpol warrant. The arrest followed a grand jury indictment in Brooklyn charging Chkhikvishvili with soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

“As alleged, the defendant sought to recruit others to commit violent attacks and killings in furtherance of his Neo-Nazi ideologies,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “His goal was to spread hatred, fear and destruction by encouraging bombings, arson, and even poisoning children, for the purpose of harming racial minorities, the Jewish community, and homeless individuals.”

Peace emphasized the commitment to prosecuting those who threaten the safety and freedoms of minority communities: “We will not hesitate to find and prosecute those who threaten the safety and freedoms of all members of our community, including members of minority communities, no matter where in the world these criminals might be hiding.”

Chkhikvishvili, known by several nicknames including “Commander Butcher” and “Butcher,” is the leader of the gang known as Maniacs Murder Cult (MKY). The gang is described as “an international racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist group,” adhering to a Neo-Nazi accelerationist ideology that promotes violence against racial minorities, the Jewish community, and other groups it deems “undesirables.”

Authorities pursued charges after Chkhikvishvili allegedly approached undercover agents to carry out bombings, arson, and other violent attacks against minorities in New York. One particularly heinous scheme involved targeting Jewish children. Chkhikvishvili is accused of instructing agents to dress as Santa Claus and distribute candy laced with poison to Jewish children and other minorities in New York City.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office detailed that Chkhikvishvili provided a comprehensive plan for the attack, including instructions on creating “lethal poisons and gases.”

MKY members aim to challenge social order and governments through terrorism and violent acts designed to instill fear and chaos, according to federal prosecutors.

Chkhikvishvili’s arrest marks a significant step in combating racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism, as authorities continue to work tirelessly to protect all communities from such threats.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on this story and other crime-related news.