Brooklyn, N.Y. — Michail Chkhikvishvili, also known as “Mishka,” “Michael,” “Commander Butcher,” and “Butcher,” pleaded guilty today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to soliciting hate crimes and sending instructions to make bombs and ricin. Chkhikvishvili was a leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, an international racially motivated violent extremist group that recruited individuals to commit violent acts, including planning and soliciting a mass-casualty attack in New York City. He was extradited from Moldova to the Eastern District of New York in May 2025.
“The outstanding investigative work in this case saved untold lives and underscores the crucial behind-the-scenes activity of our federal law enforcement agents,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Violent, nihilistic, racist groups like these are an ongoing threat to the American people – our vigilance will not waver as we protect our citizens.”
“With today’s guilty plea, this defendant admits to a horrific plot targeting Jewish people and racial minorities and even planned to poison children with candy around the holidays,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Chkhikvishvili’s monstrous plots and propaganda calling for racially motivated violence against civilians, including children, posed a grave threat to public safety,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg.
“The defendant has admitted his vile actions, including recruiting others to commit acts of violence against Jewish and racial minority children,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr.
According to court filings, Chkhikvishvili traveled to Brooklyn in June 2022 and repeatedly used Telegram beginning that July to encourage others to commit violent hate crimes on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult. Much of his solicitation targeted an undercover FBI employee. Since September 2021, he also distributed a manifesto, the “Hater’s Handbook,” encouraging acts of mass violence.
Beginning in November 2023, he solicited bombings and arsons intended to harm racial minorities and Jewish individuals. He planned a New Year’s Eve mass-casualty attack involving poisoning candy distributed by someone dressed as Santa Claus. By January, he directed the undercover employee to target Jewish schools and children in Brooklyn with poison, providing manuals on mixing lethal agents including ricin.
Authorities stated that his encouragement of violence has resulted in multiple attacks and killings worldwide, including a January 2025 school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, and an August 2024 knife attack outside a mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey, both linked to his messaging and materials.
Chkhikvishvili faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force led the investigation with assistance from multiple federal, state, and international partners. The case is being prosecuted by the National Security and Cybercrime Section, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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