Overview
- Michail Chkhikvishvili, 22, leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, admitted in court that he used online platforms, including Telegram, to recruit violence and distribute attack instructions.
- He solicited an undercover FBI employee to carry out a New Year’s Eve plot with a Santa disguise handing out poisoned candy, later directing targets toward Jewish schools and children in Brooklyn while sending bomb- and ricin-making manuals.
- Since at least 2021 he circulated the “Hater’s Handbook,” and authorities say his propaganda was cited in a 2024 mosque stabbing in Turkey and a 2025 high school shooting in Nashville.
- He was arrested in Moldova in July 2024 and extradited to the Eastern District of New York in May 2025 after a multi-agency effort spanning U.S. and international partners.
- He faces up to 40 years in prison, prosecutors say they will seek up to 18 years, and sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2026.