Additional Coverage:
- Accused neo-Nazi cult leader extradited to US, as DOJ alleges ties to school shooting (abcnews.go.com)
Nashville School Shooting Suspect Linked to International Neo-Nazi Cult
The alleged leader of a violent neo-Nazi group, Michail Chkhikvishvili, has been extradited from Moldova and appeared in a Brooklyn federal court on Friday. Chkhikvishvili, a Georgian national, pleaded not guilty to charges linking him to multiple killings worldwide, including the tragic shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville earlier this year.
The Justice Department alleges that Chkhikvishvili, also known as “Commander Butcher,” led the “Maniac Murder Cult” (MKY), a group promoting violence against minorities and the Jewish community. He is accused of distributing a “Hater’s Handbook” encouraging school shootings and other acts of terror, even suggesting specific methods for carrying out these attacks.
The DOJ claims Chkhikvishvili’s influence extends beyond the Nashville shooting. They connect him to a 2024 knife attack in Turkey and the 2022 murder of an elderly woman in Romania. They also assert that he was plotting a New Year’s Eve attack in New York City targeting Jews and other minorities, a plot foiled by an undercover FBI agent.
The Justice Department highlighted the Nashville school shooting, where a 17-year-old student killed one and injured another before taking his own life. The student reportedly invoked Chkhikvishvili and MKY founder Yegor Krasnov in online posts and audio recordings before the attack.
Attorney General Pam Bondi called the case a stark reminder of the dangers of online extremism and the potential for real-world violence. The judge ordered Chkhikvishvili detained, with a status conference scheduled for June 11. The investigation remains ongoing.