A German Neo-Nazi Arrested Over Darknet Kill List Targeting Merkel and Scholz
A 49-year-old German man with alleged neo-Nazi ties has been arrested over a darknet “death” list seeking bounties on public figures, including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and current Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The suspect, Martin S., who also holds Polish citizenship, was detained late on Monday in Dortmund, where he lives with his family, and later placed in pre-trial detention. He faces charges of financing terrorism and providing instructions for an act of violence that endangers the state.
The suspect is accused of operating an “Assassination Politics” website on the darknet, where he allegedly published personal data, “death sentences,” and hit lists naming more than 20 potential victims. The targets reportedly included senior politicians such as former Chancellor Angela Merkel, current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as judges and prosecutors.
Prosecutors said he had been operating the platform anonymously since at least June 2025, posting instructions for making explosives and soliciting cryptocurrency donations later offered as bounties for killing targeted individuals. The platform also carried right-wing extremist, racist, and conspiracy-driven content, according to reports.
Local media said that the suspect had contacts with neo-Nazis and took part in far-right events. Some outlets, including Bild, also claimed that he is considered a supporter of the Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement – a far-right, conspiracy-driven network that denies the legitimacy of the modern German state. Adherents claim that the historical German Reich continues to exist and refuse to recognize Germany’s government, parliament, laws and courts. Many also reject obligations such as paying taxes or fines.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency estimates that around 25,000 people nationwide belong to the Reichsburger and related groups, with some considered prone to violence. The case highlights the growing threat of extremist ideologies and the challenges of monitoring online radicalization in the dark web.