A neo-Nazi cult leader has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for orchestrating a plot to dress as Santa Claus and hand out poisoned sweets to children, among other violent hate crimes. Mikhail Chkhikvishvili, 22, from Georgia, was sentenced on Wednesday by a federal judge in Brooklyn after pleading guilty in November to soliciting hate crimes and distributing information about making bombs and ricin.
Chkhikvishvili, known as 'Commander Butcher', led the Maniac Murder Cult, an international extremist group promoting neo-Nazi ideology to incite a racial and religious war. Prosecutors said he used Telegram channels and a 'Hater's Handbook' to encourage attacks, including a plan to target minority children with poisoned candy while dressed as Santa.
In a letter to the judge, Chkhikvishvili expressed remorse, stating, 'I acknowledge that my actions have brought harm by spreading hatred and violence and I’m truly sorry for that.' His lawyer, Zachary Taylor, sought a five-year sentence, citing Chkhikvishvili's mental health issues and the harsh conditions of his detention in Moldova.
Prosecutors highlighted that his solicitations inspired real-world violence, including a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, in which a 16-year-old student was killed. In 2023, Chkhikvishvili solicited an undercover FBI employee to carry out bombings and arsons targeting minorities and Jews. In 2024, he directed the same operative to poison Jewish children in Brooklyn, providing detailed manuals on creating lethal poisons such as ricin.
