Neo-Nazi ‘Maniac Murder Cult’ Allegedly Planned to Have Santa Claus Give Out Poisoned Candy to Jewish Kids

Michail Chkhikvishvili, known as the “Butcher,” is charged in a four-count federal indictment with soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence in New York City

Federal authorities allege that the leader — who calls himself the “Butcher” — directed the man to dress in a Santa uniform — replete with a big beard, eyebrows, makeup and glasses. Then, he allegedly was to hand out “poisoned candies to many racial minorities and traitors” in New York City.

The step-by-step instructions allegedly sent to an undercover agent on a messaging platform in November are screenshotted and included in a federal complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York and reviewed by PEOPLE.

Per the alleged instructions, the man was to purchase the costume, along with “poison materials” and “chocolate candies anonymously using delivery services or paying with cash” and to execute the Santa scheme on New Year’s Eve.

Specifically, prosecutors allege in a press release announcing federal charges against the so-called Butcher: “The scheme also involved providing candy laced with poison to children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn.”

Afterward, the man was to take a taxi to another location where he would have a change of clothes and then “burn Santa clothes and equipment.”

“Commander Butcher” Michail Chkhikvishvili – the White supremacist leader of a group that calls themselves the Maniac Murder Cult – is charged in a four-count federal indictment with one count of conspiracy to solicit violent felonies, one count of solicitation of violent felonies, one count of distribution of information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive device and transmission of threatening communications, according to the indictment reviewed by PEOPLE.

It's not immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.

“His goal was to spread hatred, fear and destruction by encouraging bombings, arson and even poisoning children, for the purpose of harming racial minorities, the Jewish community and homeless individuals,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace claimed in a statement. “We will not hesitate to find and prosecute those who threaten the safety and freedoms of all members of our community, including members of minority communities, no matter where in the world these criminals might be hiding.”

The 20-year-old Georgian national was arrested in Chișinău, Moldova as part of an Interpol agreement on Saturday, July 6, 2024, according to prosecutors.

John Marzulli of the Eastern District of New York tells PEOPLE that Chkhikvishvili is still in the Eastern European country as of Wednesday, July 17.

It was not immediately clear when Chkhikvishvili would be extradited to the United States, with such travel arrangements routinely kept confidential until after the fact.

The alleged Santa Claus scheme was part of a larger planned “mass casualty attack” on New York City set for New Year’s Eve, according to prosecutors, who allege that Chkhikvishvili sent “bomb-making instructions and guidance on making Molotov cocktails” to the undercover agent.

Quoting from the messaging platform, prosecutors allege Chkhikvishvili hoped the attack would be “bigger action than Breivik,” referring to Neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a bombing and mass shooting in Norway in 2011.

By September 2021, a teenage Chkhikvishvili had distributed a Neo-Nazi manifesto he called the “Hater’s Handbook,” which prosecutors allege, encourages members to participate in mass violence – like school shootings, suicide bombings and mass “terror attacks” – targeting racial minorities for the purpose of “ethnic cleansing.” Such violence was specifically encouraged within the United States.

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Chkhikvishvili previously traveled to Brooklyn, where he stayed with his grandmother, in June 2022, according to prosecutors.

By the following month, he “repeatedly encouraged others, primarily via encrypted mobile messaging platforms, to commit violent hate crimes and other acts of violence” for his criminal organization, prosecutors allege.

By November, he had allegedly sent the undercover agent detailed manuals for making and mixing lethal poisons and gasses, as well as instruction to make ricin-based poisons in both powder and liquid form, according to prosecutors, who have linked some of the materials to radical Islamist jihadist groups and designated foreign terrorist organizations, including ISIS.

In his handbook, Chkhikvishvili allegedly writes that he has already “murdered for the white race.”

On messaging platforms, Chkhikvishvili allegedly said he was “glad I have murdered,” and that he planned to “murder more.”

But, he allegedly wrote, he would “make others murder first.”

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