Michail Chkhikvishvili, leader of a neo-Nazi group, has been charged with plotting to have an associate pose as Santa Claus to hand out poisoned candy to Jewish children in New York City.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 21-year-old from the Republic of Georgia and leader of the 'Maniac Murder Cult,' faces multiple charges, including soliciting hate crimes and mass violence, after allegedly attempting to orchestrate a mass casualty event targeting Jewish children in New York City. The plot, which involved distributing poisoned candy, was foiled when Chkhikvishvili tried to recruit an undercover officer to join his extremist activities. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for his most severe charges.

Michail Chkhikvishvili leads the Maniac Murder Cult, an extremist group that promotes violence against racial minorities, the Jewish community, and other groups it considers undesirable. The group’s stated objective is to destabilize social order and governments through terrorism and violent actions.

Chkhikvishvili was indicted on charges including soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence. He was arrested in Moldova on July 6, 2024, after attempting to recruit an undercover law enforcement officer to join his group and carry out violent crimes.

The planned mass casualty event was intended for New York City on New Year's Eve 2023. According to court documents, Chkhikvishvili's scheme involved poisoned candy to be handed out to Jewish children in Brooklyn by an associate disguised as Santa Claus. He had meticulously drafted step-by-step instructions on executing the deadly operation and shared these plans with the undercover agent.

Chkhikvishvili went so far as to provide detailed manuals on creating and mixing various lethal poisons and gases to the undercover officer. He also disseminated a manifesto known as the 'Hater’s Handbook,' which has been circulating since September 2021. In this manifesto, Chkhikvishvili claimed to have 'murdered for the white race' and encouraged others to engage in violent activities.

The 'Hater’s Handbook' contains explicit instructions for committing school shootings, utilizing children for suicide bombings, and other methods for conducting mass terror attacks within the United States. These documents were a pivotal part of the evidence collected against him.

Chkhikvishvili had traveled to New York City at least twice in 2022, residing with his paternal grandmother in Brooklyn during his visits. While in Brooklyn, he used encrypted mobile messaging platforms to promote and facilitate violent hate crimes.

Alongside his plans for the poison plot, Chkhikvishvili provided the undercover agent with information on creating bombs, Molotov cocktails, and other lethal devices. Detailed instructions on making ricin-based poisons and other toxic substances were also shared.

If found guilty of the charges, Chkhikvishvili faces significant prison time. Specifically, the maximum penalties he could face are 20 years for solicitation of violent felonies, five years for conspiring to solicit violent felonies, 20 years for distributing information related to the making and use of explosive devices, and five years for transmitting threatening communications.

Authorities stress the importance of this arrest in preventing what could have been a devastating attack. The undercover operation that led to Chkhikvishvili's apprehension highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to infiltrate and dismantle extremist groups before their plans come to fruition.

Prosecutors will likely leverage the substantial evidence against Chkhikvishvili, including his detailed plans, the 'Hater’s Handbook,' and the communications with the undercover agent. The case underscores the persistent threat posed by extremist ideologies and the critical work of law enforcement agencies in combatting such dangers.