‘Commander Butcher’ Extradited to U.S. Over Plot to Poison Kids [WATCH]

A Georgian national known by the alias “Commander Butcher” was extradited to the United States from Moldova on Thursday and appeared in federal court in Brooklyn on Friday to face charges tied to a series of racially and religiously motivated terror plots, including a failed New Year’s Eve plan to distribute poisoned candy to children.

Georgian National Extradited from Moldova to Face Charges for Soliciting Hate Crimes and Planning Mass Casualty Attack in New York City https://t.co/DXyDGnXztC @NewYorkFBI pic.twitter.com/HeKxnldaqx

— FBI (@FBI) May 23, 2025

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Michail Chkhikvishvili, the alleged leader of the white supremacist group known as the “Maniac Murder Cult,” conspired to carry out attacks specifically targeting racial minorities and the Jewish community.

The DOJ stated that Chkhikvishvili orchestrated a 2023 plot to distribute poisoned candy through an accomplice disguised as Santa Claus to children, including those attending a Jewish school in Brooklyn.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, the apparent leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, has been charged with plotting to have a person dressed as Santa Claus hand out poisoned candy to children in New York City, according to the DOJ. @livenowfox pic.twitter.com/iAP7I3IuKI

— Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowTV) July 17, 2024

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In a press release issued Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi described Chkhikvishvili as “a white supremacist [who] recruited others to participate in a violent campaign of hatred against racial minorities and the Jewish community and to engage in the mass killing of children and others in these communities using poison, suicide bombs, firearms, arson fires, and vehicle explosions.”

The DOJ also linked Chkhikvishvili to several violent incidents across multiple countries.

According to 6ABC Action News, authorities suspect his involvement in a January 2024 school shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where a 17-year-old gunman livestreamed his attack before taking his own life.

He is also allegedly connected to a knife attack in Turkey in August 2024 and a 2022 murder in Romania.

Chkhikvishvili was arrested by Moldovan authorities in July 2024.

After being held in custody for nearly a year, the Moldovan government granted the U.S. extradition request.

The Justice Department confirmed his transfer on Thursday, noting that he was immediately brought to the Eastern District of New York to face federal terrorism-related charges.

Christopher Raia, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, emphasized the significance of the arrest.

“This extradition is a clear sign the FBI, our Joint Terrorism Task Force, and law enforcement partners are committed to protecting our nation and city and will bring any individual desiring to enact racially motivated violence to justice,” he said in the DOJ’s press statement.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch added that the successful extradition demonstrates the far-reaching efforts of American law enforcement.

“This extradition demonstrates the reach and the determination of American law enforcement agencies to track down the most dangerous and depraved of criminals,” Tisch stated.

Chkhikvishvili’s group, the Maniac Murder Cult, is believed to have operated through encrypted online networks, where it recruited members and coordinated plots across several countries.

DOJ officials said the group’s targets included minority communities, Jewish schools, and civic institutions.

“This case is a stark reminder of the kind of terrorism we face today,” Attorney General Bondi said. “

Online networks plotting unspeakable acts of violence against children, families, and the Jewish community in pursuit of a depraved, extremist ideology.”

The DOJ has not yet announced a trial date.

A spokesperson for the department’s Office of Public Affairs confirmed Chkhikvishvili’s July 2024 arrest in Moldova and successful extradition this week.

Additional charges and proceedings are expected in the coming weeks.

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