Federal officials have extradited a prominent neo-Nazi group leader, Michail Chkhikvishvili, who allegedly inspired a Tennessee school shooting earlier this year and devised a plot to carry out a mass attack in New York City targeting Jewish individuals.
Chkhikvishvili, 21, also known as “Commander Butcher,” was the leader of the so-called Maniac Murder Cult, also referred to as MKY.
He was apprehended in Moldova in July and extradited to the United States on May 22.
He is scheduled to be arraigned in Brooklyn on May 23, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to prosecutors, Chkhikvishvili has orchestrated deadly attacks globally and distributed a document titled the “Hater’s Handbook,” which encourages readers to engage in mass violence and ethnic cleansing.
This pattern of violent solicitation has been linked to several international attacks, including a stabbing incident near a mosque in Turkey in 2024.
Prosecutors revealed in court that Chkhikvishvili focused on the U.S. as a potential attack site due to the accessibility of firearms.
In a communication with an undercover FBI employee, he stated, “I see USA as big potential because accessibility to firearms and other resources,” dated September 8, 2023.
At this time, it remains unclear whether Chkhikvishvili has secured legal representation to speak on his behalf.
Along with his extradition, he faces multiple counts in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, including solicitation of violent felonies.
The charges originate from his communications with an undercover agent where he encouraged the agent to carry out a mass attack against Jewish people and minorities.
This correspondence took place from September 2023 until at least March 2024.
One harrowing plot involved an individual dressed as Santa Claus distributing poisoned candies to Jewish children in New York City on New Year’s Eve, which later escalated to something of a larger scale.
Chkhikvishvili reportedly expressed a desire for the attack to exceed the notoriety of Anders Behring Breivik, who infamously killed 77 people in Norway in 2011, primarily targeting teenagers at a camp.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace remarked last year that Chkhikvishvili’s ultimate aim was to spread hatred, fear, and destruction by inciting bombings, arson, and targeting children for poisoning.
The reach of the MKY group spans Russia and Ukraine, with members active internationally, including in the United States, according to federal documents.
Members of this group maintain a neo-Nazi ideology that promotes violence against racial minorities.
In a chilling turn of events, prosecutors have also linked Chkhikvishvili to the school shooting that took place at Antioch High School in Tennessee on January 22, 2025, despite his arrest preceding this tragic incident.
Federal prosecutors highlighted that Chkhikvishvili’s solicitations for violence likely contributed to this attack, as noted in court filings on May 23.
The 17-year-old shooter referenced taking action on behalf of MKY and another unidentified group, as evidenced by an audio recording published online prior to the shooting.
It remains unclear if the shooter had any formal ties to MKY or if he communicated directly with Chkhikvishvili or other members of the group.
Chkhikvishvili mentioned that joining the cult required new members to submit videos showing brutal acts of violence, including beatings, explosions, and murders aimed at “low race targets.”
Chkhikvishvili’s name reportedly also appeared in a lengthy manifesto penned by the Antioch shooter—a document stretching 300 pages where he promoted White supremacist and Nazi ideologies.
The shooter noted the founder of MKY, claiming he would inscribe the founder’s name on his firearm, according to prosecutor statements.
The Antioch High School shooting resulted in tragedy, claiming the life of 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante, while another student suffered injuries.
The shooter, identified as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, subsequently took his own life.
This union of extremist ideologies and violent actions highlights the significant dangers posed by such groups and their influence on vulnerable individuals.
The judicial proceedings for Chkhikvishvili will shine a light on the growing concern surrounding domestic terrorism and extremist ideologies.
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