Prosecutors allege Anna Mochalova targeted two visibly Jewish men minutes apart in Manhattan’s Diamond District before approaching a third man.
NEW YORK — A Brooklyn woman accused of attacking two Jewish men in Manhattan’s Diamond District was arraigned Sunday on multiple charges carrying hate-crime allegations, after prosecutors said the men were targeted because they were believed to be Jewish.
Anna Mochalova, 32, faces two counts of second-degree assault as a hate crime, one count of second-degree menacing as a hate crime, two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of second-degree aggravated harassment, according to a criminal complaint. The allegations stem from a series of encounters on Oct. 21 in Midtown Manhattan.
Prosecutors said the first attack happened at about 5:50 p.m. on West 47th Street, where Mochalova allegedly followed and harassed a 26-year-old man wearing traditional Hasidic clothing. The man reported feeling a stabbing sensation and later realized he was bleeding. Police initially said investigators believed the object used in the attack was a syringe or needle. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation, and his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Authorities said Mochalova encountered another Jewish man about five minutes later. Prosecutors allege she repeatedly made contact with him, causing a stinging sensation or injury to his arm, and threatened to shoot him if he did not leave the area. Court records allege the second man was also selected because Mochalova believed he was Jewish.
Police said another encounter shortly afterward became part of the evidence cited by investigators examining a possible bias motive. Authorities said Mochalova approached a third man and asked whether he was Jewish. After he told her he was Muslim, police said, she apologized and walked away. Prosecutors have cited the sequence of encounters in alleging that religion played a role in the selection of the first two men.
The case moved from a possible hate-crime investigation to formal hate-crime allegations following Mochalova’s arrest and arraignment. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force had been involved in the investigation after surveillance footage circulated showing a woman following a man along a crowded Midtown sidewalk before apparently making contact with him.
The Diamond District, centered along West 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, has a large concentration of Jewish merchants, workers and visitors. Business owners and residents interviewed after the attacks described increased concern in the area, particularly because the alleged encounters involved people whose Jewish identity was visible through their clothing.
The charges are allegations, and Mochalova has not been convicted. Her defense attorney questioned whether police had correctly identified her as the person responsible for the attacks. The defense also pointed to her lack of prior arrests and employment history during the arraignment proceedings.
A judge set bail at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond. CBS New York reported that Mochalova had partially secured the $150,000 bond after her arraignment. She is scheduled to return to court Oct. 29 as the criminal case proceeds and investigators continue examining the incidents.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.