American Neo-Nazi guilty of planning to poison Jewish children

According to court documents, Chkhikvishvili used encrypted platforms such as Telegram to recruit followers, spread propaganda, and direct violent plots.

By Jewish Breaking News

A Georgian neo-Nazi has pled guilty after investigators uncovered a plot to poison Jewish children and direct mass-casualty attacks against minorities in the United States.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, 23, admitted Monday in federal court in Brooklyn to soliciting hate crimes and distributing instructions on how to make bombs and ricin.

Known as “Commander Butcher,” prosecutors say he was a leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, an international white supremacist network based in Russia and Ukraine.

According to court documents, Chkhikvishvili used encrypted platforms such as Telegram to recruit followers, spread propaganda, and direct violent plots.

He authored the group’s manifesto, the “Hater’s Handbook,” which encourages mass murder, school shootings, bombings, and the use of poison.

Beginning in late 2023, Chkhikvishvili urged what he believed was a co-conspirator—who was actually an undercover FBI agent—to carry out a New Year’s Eve attack targeting Jewish children in Brooklyn.

The plan called for a man dressed as Santa Claus to hand out candy laced with ricin outside Jewish schools and community centers.

Chkhikvishvili sent detailed instructions on how to prepare the toxin and told the agent that “ricin would be most simple.”

Chkhikvishvili was indicted in July 2024 and extradited from Moldova in May 2025 with assistance from the State Department, Customs and Border Protection, and Moldovan authorities.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said investigators “saved untold lives” by stopping the plot.

“The outstanding investigative work in this case saved untold lives and underscores the crucial behind-the-scenes activity of our federal law enforcement agents,” Bondi said.

“Violent, nihilistic, racist groups like these are an ongoing threat to the American people – our vigilance will not waver as we protect our citizens.”

Describing past struggles with depression, Chkhikvishvili apologized to the court and said he intended to “do better,” but prosecutors say his apology does not diminish the scale of the violence he encouraged.

In January 2025, a 17-year-old student who referenced Chkhikvishvili in his manifesto killed one person and injured another before taking his own life at a high school in Nashville.

In August 2024, a man in Turkey livestreamed himself stabbing worshippers outside a mosque while wearing Nazi symbols; investigators later found he had circulated the Hater’s Handbook and quoted Chkhikvishvili’s writings.

Other attacks in Romania and across Europe have also been tied to his propaganda.

“With today’s guilty plea, this defendant admits to a horrific plot targeting Jewish people and racial minorities and even planned to poison children with candy around the holidays,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

“This case shows once more that no matter where you are, if you try to harm our citizens the FBI and our partners will find you and bring you to justice.”