A man identified as Max Azzarello set himself on fire outside the New York court where Donald Trump’s hush money trial was set to begin, throwing pamphlets containing conspiracy theories before immolating himself. Azzarello, who traveled from Florida to New York, is in critical condition but alive.
According to senior police officer Joseph Kenny, the pamphlets contained information about Ponzi schemes and alleged that local educational institutes are fronts for the mob. The materials also linked crypto billionaires, Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Epstein, Rob Lowe, and others to an “apocalyptic fascist world coup.”
A manifesto titled “The Ponzi Papers” outlined Azzarello’s theories, claiming to be an investigative researcher drawing attention to a totalitarian con by setting himself on fire outside the Trump trial. Photos of printed pamphlets with titles like “The True History of the World (Haunted Carnival Edition)” and “NYU is a Mob Front” were included in the manifesto.
Days before the incident, Azzarello protested outside the courthouse with a sign reading “Trump is with Biden and they’re about to fascist coup us.” Videos of him reading parts of his manifesto and calling for a revolution have since gone viral.
A photo of Azzarello with Bill Clinton has surfaced on social media, linking him to a conspiracy theory-filled lawsuit against influential figures that was dismissed last year. Police are investigating the incident and have labeled Azzarello as a conspiracy theorist. Despite his critical condition, he remains alive.