The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday extradited a Moldovan national and alleged cult leader who allegedly authored a manifesto meant to inspire antisemitic and racist attacks, and was an alleged source of inspiration for Solomon Henderson, who killed a fellow student before taking his own life at Antioch High School earlier this year.
Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 21-year-old citizen of Tblisi, Moldova, was extradited on Friday according to a DOJ press release, which revealed the alleged cult leader is also known as Mishka, Michael, Commander Butcher, and Butcher.
Chkhikvishvili (pictured above) was charged on a four-count indictment in the Eastern District of New York, according to the DOJ, which reported that charges include soliciting others to commit hate crimes and acts of mass violence against Jewish people in New York City.
The DOJ reportedly pointed to Henderson as a criminal who allegedly claimed to be inspired by Chkhikvishvili.
“In January 2025, a 17-year-old student killed one individual and injured another before committing suicide inside Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The attacker livestreamed part of the attack,” reported the DOJ, according to WSMV 4.
The DOJ press release explained that Chkhikvishvili led “an international racially-motivated violent extremist group” known as Maniac Murder Cult, Maniacs Murder Cult, Maniacs: Cult of Killing, or a series of acronyms representing the various names.
WSMV 4 reported that the DOJ explained, Henderson “claimed he was taking action on behalf of MKY and at least one other group,” in audio posted online prior to the attack.
The DOJ also claimed Henderson’s “explicitly mentioned” Chkhikvishvili in his manifesto, which matches the document obtained by The Tennessee Star after the attack.
“There are still ways to attack government/Army/Federal buildings,” wrote Henderson (pictured here). “It just takes knowledge, insiders, more power but don’t be like Brian Clyde or Michail Chkhikvishvili,” he continued, “Wait for an opportunity to present itself. Treat these operations like an assignment or mission.”
Chkhikvishvili was arrested in Moldova in July 2024, about six months prior to Henderson’s attack, as a result of the DOJ indictments. It is unclear why his extradition came 10 months later.
Throughout his writings made public prior to the attack, Henderson, who was black, used racial slurs to describe black people more than 100 times, and used other slurs to describe Jewish people at least nine times.
His online activities also were tied to Natalie Rupnow, who killed two and injured seven at the Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin in January. Her father was arrested for his alleged role in the crime earlier this month.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
