White Supremacist Group Pleads, Soliciting Hate Crimes, Sending Instructions — Leader of White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes and Sending Instructions to Make Bombs and Ricin | United States Justice Department.
announcement Leader of White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes and Sending Instructions to Make Bombs and Ricin Monday, November 17, 2025 Share Facebook X LinkedIn Email For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Leader of the “Maniac Murder Cult” Recruited Others to Bomb and Poison the Jewish Community and Racial Minorities Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Georgian national Michail Chkhikvishvili, also known as “Mishka,” “Michael,” “Commander Butcher,” and “Butcher,” pleaded guilty to soliciting hate crimes and sending instructions to make bombs and ricin. Chkhikvishvili was a
leader of Maniac Murder Cult, an international racially motivated violent extremist group. Chkhikvishvili recruited people to commit violent acts in furtherance of Maniac Murder Cult’s ideologies, including planning and soliciting a mass casualty attack in New York City. In May 2025, Chkhikvishvili was extradited from Moldova to the Eastern District of New York.“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. A manifesto attributed to the attacker included explicit references to Chkhikvishvili and to violent statements made by him. Before the attack, the attacker also distributed a link to the Hater’s Handbook, authored by Chkhikvishvili, and other violent propaganda.Chkhikvishvili carries a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison.The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism