Woman accused of stabbing NYC rabbi with syringe claims mistaken identity, prosecutors say
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Anna Mochalova, a 32-year-old woman accused of stabbing a rabbi with a syringe and targeting another Jewish man in separate incidents in Manhattan, claimed she was a victim of mistaken identity through her lawyer during a court appearance on Sunday, October 25.
Mochalova faces several charges, including assault as a hate crime, in connection with the alleged attacks.
ARREST MADE: Thanks to the tireless dedication of our members working alongside the @NYPDnews Hate Crimes Task Force, our partners at @ShomrimCH and @ShomrimofQueens, and the crucial tips called in to our hotline by the public, the suspect wanted for Wednesday’s two hate crime assaults in Midtown Manhattan is now in custody. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this individual to justice and keep our community safe. See Something Say Something 212-430-2024.
— Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol (@msspshomrim) October 25, 2026
Anna Mochalova claims mistaken identity in hate crime case
Mochalova’s attorney, Lila Carpenter, argued during her client’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court that there could be an issue with the identification of the suspect in the case.
“These allegations are concerning. Whether they’re my client’s is a different story,” Carpenter told Judge Linda Capitti.
Carpenter also said that Mochalova had no prior arrests and was gainfully employed.
Prosecutors, however, described the alleged incidents as serious and said the evidence included surveillance footage of the attacks.
Judge Capitti set bail at $50,000, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the video evidence.
Prosecutors detail syringe attacks on two Jewish men
According to prosecutors, Mochalova allegedly stalked Yosef, a 26-year-old rabbi, before stabbing him in the back with a syringe near West 47th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s Diamond District on October 21.
Yosef previously told the New York Post that he believed he had been targeted because he was visibly Jewish.
About five minutes after the alleged attack, Mochalova allegedly approached a 37-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke near West 45th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Prosecutors said she bumped into him several times, causing a stinging sensation in his right arm, before threatening him.
“Run away from here. I have a gun. I’m going to shoot you,” she allegedly told the man, according to prosecutors. He later received medical treatment for lacerations.
Prosecutors say Anna Mochalova spared man identifying as Muslim
Prosecutors alleged that Mochalova later approached a third man but stopped harassing him after he told her he was Muslim. She reportedly apologized before leaving the scene.
Assistant District Attorney Emily Hong said the alleged attacks were concerning and that Mochalova had allegedly selected the two victims because she believed they were Jewish.
Yitty, a 31-year-old coordinator with Manhattan Shomrim, a Jewish community safety organization, welcomed the judge’s decision to set bail.
“Having her back outside is just a danger to everybody outside. She needs to get help,” he told the New York Post.
Mochalova is scheduled to return to court on October 29. The charges against her remain allegations, and her claim of mistaken identity has yet to be resolved in court.
