Neo-Nazi planned poisoned candy attack on Jewish children in Brooklyn, federal prosecutors say

A Georgian national has been indicted for allegedly planning a mass casualty attack on Jews and racial minorities in New York City, as well as encouraging others to commit similar violent acts.

Michail Chkhikvishvili -- who calls himself "Commander Butcher" -- is leader of the violent white supremacist group known as the Maniac Murder Cult, according to federal prosecutors.

Chkhikvishvili, 20, is accused of hatching a plot that involved dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out poison-laced candy to children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn, as well as to racial minorities.

He was arrested July 6 in Moldova, and has been charged with soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence.

Since September 2021, according to a federal indictment, Chkhikvishvili distributed a manifesto called the "Hater's Handbook," in which he stated that he has "murdered for the white race" and encouraged readers to commit violent mass "terror attacks" to promote "ethnic cleansing," particularly within the U.S.

The handbook allegedly suggested readers commit school shootings and suicide bombings, and recommended targeting "large outdoor festivals, conventions, celebrations and parades" and "pedestrian congested streets."

Chkhikvishvili is accused of soliciting others, primarily through encrypted messaging platforms, to carry out violent hate crimes on behalf of the Maniac Murder Cult, including providing instructions for making bombs and Molotov cocktails.

One of the people he allegedly communicated with was an undercover FBI agent, who posed as a prospective member of the group.

In September 2023, the agent asked how he could apply to join the group, according to the indictment. Chkhikvishvili allegedly replied that they "ask people for brutal beating, arson/explosion or murder vids on camera," and stated that "[p]oisoning and arson are best options for murder."

For the candy attack, Chkhikvishvili allegedly gave the undercover agent detailed instructions for how to make deadly poisons by extracting ricin from castor beans.

Chkhikvishvili said the attack would be a "bigger action than Breivik," according to the indictment, referring to Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in a bombing and mass shooting in Norway in 2011.

Chkhikvishvili, who visited his grandmother in Brooklyn in June 2022, allegedly claimed to have committed hate crimes while there. He also allegedly said he was "glad I have murdered," and that he would "murder more" but "make others murder first."

"As alleged, the defendant sought to recruit others to commit violent attacks and killings in furtherance of his Neo-Nazi ideologies," United States Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement. "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."