Neo-nazi Leader Gets 15 Years For Recruiting Violent Attacks, Including A Santa Poison Plot

NEW YORK — The leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group has been sentenced to 15 years successful situation for trying to enlistee others to perpetrate convulsive attacks against Jews and group minorities, including 1 crippled that would person progressive dressing arsenic Santa Claus to manus retired poisoned candy to children.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 22-year-old from nan state of Georgia who goes by nan nickname “Commander Butcher,” was sentenced by a national judge successful Brooklyn connected Wednesday. He pleaded blameworthy successful November to soliciting dislike crimes and distributing accusation astir making bombs and ricin.

“I admit that my actions person brought harm by spreading hatred and unit and I’m genuinely sorry for that,” Chkhikvishvili wrote successful a missive to nan judge past month.

His lawyer, Zachary Taylor, asked for a five-year sentence, citing Chkhikvishvili’s intelligence wellness struggles since he was a teen who “fell nether nan spell of nan convulsive extremist content” connected societal media, but has since reformed. Taylor besides mentioned harsh conditions during Chkhikvishvili’s astir yearlong confinement successful Moldova, wherever he was arrested successful 2024 connected an world warrant, according to his missive to nan judge.

Prosecutors described Chkhikvishvili arsenic nan leader of nan Maniac Murder Cult, an world extremist group that adheres to a neo-Nazi ideology promoting unit intended to trigger a group and belief war.

They said nan group’s convulsive solicitations — promoted done Telegram channels and outlined successful nan “Hater’s Handbook” — look to person inspired aggregate real-life killings, including a schoolhouse shooting successful Nashville, Tennessee, past twelvemonth that near a 16-year-old student dead.

Chkhikvishvili “repeatedly called for nan execution of guiltless civilians, including children, and schemed to onslaught and terrorize Jewish communities and group minorities successful nan United States,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said successful a statement. “Chkhikvishvili, for example, tried to enlistee a expected subordinate to dress up arsenic Santa Claus and walk retired poisoned candy to number children.”

Since 2021, prosecutors said Chkhikvishvili distributed nan “Hater’s Handbook” to members and others.

“I’m very ashamed authoring Haters Handbook, hoping 1 time it will disappear, I wish I ne'er wrote it,” Chkhikvishvili wrote to nan judge.

Prosecutors said Chkhikvishvili traveled to Brooklyn successful 2022 and began many times encouraging others to perpetrate dislike crimes and different acts of violence. They said successful 2023, he solicited an undercover FBI worker to perpetrate bombings and arsons “for nan intent of harming group minorities, Jewish individuals and others.”

In 2024, nan undercover worker was directed “to target nan Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children successful Brooklyn pinch poison,” prosecutors said successful a statement.

“Chkhikvishvili sent elaborate manuals astir creating and mixing lethal poisons and gases, including ricin.”