A neo-Nazi cult leader has pleaded guilty to plotting a New Year’s Eve attack in New York City using a terrorist dressed as Santa Claus dishing out poisoned candy to children.
Michail Chkhikvishvili, 22, known as “Commander Butcher,” admitted soliciting hate crimes and providing instructions on how to make bombs and the poison ricin as part of “monstrous plots and propaganda” leading his international Maniac Murder Cult, according to the feds.
The Georgian neo-Nazi — who also inspired mass shooters with his “Hater’s Handbook” — pleaded guilty in Brooklyn federal court on Monday after being hauled back to the US from Moldova to face justice.
Neo-Nazi cult leader Michail Chkhikvishvili has pleaded guilty to plotting a terror attack on minority children in NYC. U.S. Department of Justice
He “admitted his vile actions, including recruiting others to commit acts of violence against Jewish and racial minority children,” said US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.
Chkhikvishvili traveled to New York in June 2022 and encouraged others to perform hate crimes on behalf of his Maniac Murder Cult, communicating largely via the messaging app Telegram, prosecutors said.
One such twisted scheme involved someone dressing as Santa Claus to hand out poisoned candy to minority children on New Year’s Eve.
He was caught when he solicited an individual to carry out bombings and arson attacks targeting Jews and other racial minorities, not realizing that he was speaking to an undercover FBI agent.
Chkhikvishvili had instructed the undercover agent to dress as Santa and, after handing out candy, catch a taxi to a pre-determined location to burn the Santa costume and destroy burner phones.
Chkhikvishvili also solicited the undercover agent to commit bombings and arson.
Chkhikvishvili founded the “Maniac Murder Cult,” and instigated terror attacks across the world. U.S. Department of Justice
When that plan failed, Chkhikvishvili plotted a similar scheme targeting Jewish children and schools in Brooklyn in January 2024, according to the FBI.
He sent detailed manuals about creating and mixing lethal poisons and gases, including ricin, according to police.
Since September 2021, Chkhikvishvili had been distributing copies of his “Hater’s Handbook,” in which he instructed cult members on how to commit school shootings.
His words inspired at least two attacks, including one in the US, according to police.
In January 2025, a student, 17, killed one person and wounded another before taking their own life in an attack at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee.
He was extradited to the US from Moldova in May. USAO EDNY
“The attacker livestreamed part of the attack. Prior to the attack, in an audio recording posted online and attributed to him, the attacker claimed he was taking action on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult and at least one other group,” police said.
Chkhikvishvili was also mentioned by name by an attacker who filmed himself stabbing five people outside a mosque in Turkey while wearing a vest with Nazi symbols.
He was extradited from Moldova to the US in May 2025 to face the allegations and entered a guilty plea on Monday, the Justice Department confirmed.
Chkhikvishvili now faces up to 40 years in prison.
“Violent, nihilistic, racist groups like these are an ongoing threat to the American people – our vigilance will not waver as we protect our citizens,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.