The Justice Department announced Michail Chkhikvishvili has been extradited to the U.S. from Moldova to face charges for plotting to distribute poisoned candy to Jewish and minority children.
Chkhikvishvili, a Georgian national, is accused of being a leader of the “Maniac Murder Cult,” a white supremacist group, and was charged with four counts for soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence in New York City last year.
The alleged scheme would have been a “mass casualty attack” in the city on New Year’s Eve, where someone would dress up as Santa Claus and give poisonous candies to racial minorities, according to the Justice Department.
“This case is a stark reminder of the kind of terrorism we face today: online networks plotting unspeakable acts of violence against children, families, and the Jewish community in pursuit of a depraved, extremist ideology,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate hate-fueled violence, and we will pursue those who threaten innocent lives wherever they may be,” Bondi added.
FBI Director Kash Patel expressed his gratitude for law enforcement in both the U.S. and Moldova for working to bring Chkhikvishvili to face charges for his alleged crimes.
“These allegations are despicable, and thanks to the work and partnership of the FBI and the authorities in Moldova, Michail Chkhikvishvili has been brought to the United States to face charges in our justice system,” Patel added.
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The charges against Chkhikvishvili would amount to a maximum combined penalty of 50 years in prison, if he is found guilty of all four crimes he is accused of in federal court.
The announcement of Chkhikvishvili’s detainment comes days after the Justice Department announced charges in the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C.