Neo-Nazi Cult Leader Pleads Guilty to Attack Plan
A neo-Nazi cult leader has admitted guilt for orchestrating a New Year’s Eve attack in New York City, which included plans for terrorists dressed as Santa Claus to distribute poisoned candy to children.
Mikhail Chikvishvili, 22, known as “Commander Butcher,” confessed to recruiting individuals for hate crimes and providing bomb-making instructions, along with knowledge on creating the poison ricin. This was framed as part of a larger, disturbing conspiracy linked to an international murder cult, according to federal authorities.
Chikvishvili, who gained notoriety in Georgia, entered his plea in a Brooklyn federal court after being extradited from Moldova to face charges.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocera Jr. remarked that Chikvishvili “admitted to despicable acts,” including soliciting violence against Jewish and other racial minority children.
Prosecutors indicated that in June 2022, Chikvishvili traveled to New York, where he used the messaging app Telegram to motivate others into committing hate crimes under the direction of his extreme cult.
One particularly alarming plan involved someone donning a Santa costume to distribute poisoned candy targeting ethnic minority children on New Year’s Eve.
His arrest came when he sought assistance for bombings and arson aimed at Jews and other minorities, unaware he was communicating with an undercover FBI agent.
Chikvishvili directed this agent to wear the Santa outfit, hand out treats, and then dispose of the costume and the burner phone used for communication.
He also reached out to more individuals to execute further attacks, encompassing bombings and arson.
After that plot fell through, Chikvishvili planned another attack for January 2024, focusing on Jewish children and schools in Brooklyn, as outlined by the FBI.
According to reports, he provided comprehensive manuals detailing how to create lethal poisons and gases, including ricin.
Since September 2021, Chikvishvili had been distributing a so-called “handbook of hate,” which instructs members on executing school shootings.
Authorities believe his rhetoric directly led to at least two incidents, one of which occurred in the U.S.
In January 2025, a 17-year-old student committed a violent act at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, resulting in one death and another injury before taking his own life.
It was reported that the attacker livestreamed portions of the incident, claiming online that he was acting for the Maniac Murder cult, along with other groups.
Chikvishvili was also implicated in a separate incident where an attacker filmed himself stabbing five individuals outside a mosque in Turkey, with Nazi symbols displayed on his vest.
After being extradited from Moldova in May, he entered a guilty plea on Monday, as confirmed by the Justice Department.
Now facing a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison, Chikvishvili’s case underscores concerns about the persistent threat from violent and racist groups in the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that vigilance against such threats remains critical.
