New York woman accused of antisemitic stabbings is indicted for federal hate crimes
Anna Mochalova allegedly stabbed two visibly Jewish men in Manhattan with a needle last month; NYPD data shows Jews are targeted in hate crimes more than all other groups combined
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A New York woman accused of two antisemitic stabbings last month was indicted for hate crimes, according to a Friday court filing.
Anna Mochalova allegedly stabbed two identifiably Jewish men in Manhattan in separate incidents on October 21.
Investigators said they believed Mochalova had stabbed the man with a needle, but have not recovered the weapon. It was unclear if there were any substances inside the needle.
A federal grand jury charged Mochalova with two federal hate crime acts, one for each of the alleged victims, court filings showed. The charges were for willfully causing bodily injury to someone because of their race, color, religion or origin, with each charge carrying a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.
Mochalova, who was arrested for a transit violation in Brooklyn and was then connected to the stabbing incidents, is scheduled for an arraignment on Tuesday.
The Brooklyn resident in her 30s has previously been charged with hate crimes and other offenses in a local court. Federal authorities sometimes pick up more serious hate crime cases.
???? HATE CRIME INVESTIGATION: Manhattan Shomrim and the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force are actively investigating a stabbing that occurred today around 5:45 PM at 47th St. and 5th Ave.
We are asking for the public's assistance. If you were in the Diamond District/Midtown area… pic.twitter.com/EELGa2ViXO
— Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol (@msspshomrim) October 22, 2026
She pleaded not guilty to the local charges and is being held in detention.
Jews were targeted in 58 percent of all hate crimes in New York City in October, according to NYPD data released Monday.
There were 26 anti-Jewish incidents out of 45 hate crimes against all groups, the data showed.
Jews make up around 12% of the city’s population and are targeted in the majority of hate crimes every month. Jewish security officials and hate crime experts believe that many incidents are not reported to police.
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