The conspiracy theorist who set himself ablaze and died outside a Manhattan court Friday had shared extensive information about his beliefs online in a bizarre and disturbing manifesto.
Witnesses fled in panic as Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old man from St. Augustine, Florida, doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire in New York's Collect Pond Park around 1.30pm Friday. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead a few hours later.
Hours before the macabre incident, Azzarello posted a lengthy rant on Substack titled "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial". In it, he dubbed himself an "investigative researcher" and went on about a vast conspiracy theory involving cryptocurrency, the government, Silicon Valley, and the media.
READ MORE: Max Azzarello dies hours after setting himself on fire outside Donald Trump trial
Azzarello on Instagram (Max Azzarello/Instagram)
Azzarello posted all over social media, and had rants on Facebook, questionable photos on IG, and even conspiracy theories on LinkedIn (Max Azzarello/Instagram)In his bizarre manifesto, the deceased had contended that cryptocurrency is a massive Ponzi scheme orchestrated by elites from prestigious institutions like Stanford and Harvard. Azzarello asserted that intentional bank failures in 2023 were part of this scheme to siphon off stolen money from the cryptocurrency market, warning that "We are in a totalitarian doomsday cult."
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It is unclear whether these claims had anything to do with Donald Trump or his ongoing criminal trial that was taking place at the Manhattan court nearby. Azzarello declared online that his act was an "extreme act of protest ... to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery."
He said: "We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. [...] Cryptocurrency is our first planetary multi-trillion-dollar Ponzi scheme."
"The banks were used to move out stolen Ponzi money. This signals that they’re no longer dumping cash in to keep the cryptocurrency Ponzi afloat, and that it will soon go insolvent, as all Ponzis must."
Fire extinguishers (R) are left at the park across from Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City after a man reportedly set himself on fire (AFP via Getty Images)He also said he believed that the US government is complicit in this conspiracy, operating as a secret kleptocracy run by financial criminals. Additionally, Azzarello suggested that popular media, including shows like The Simpsons and Seinfeld, serve to brainwash the public and maintain the status quo.
He wrote: "Stanley Kubrick’s comedy about mutually assured destruction called Dr. Strangelove: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb? Because he was a cocky secret fascist who was getting us to stop worrying and love the bomb. [...] Why did The Beatles tell us to fear the taxman, to scoff at revolution, chase nonsense conspiracy theories, and that happiness is a warm gun? So we would believe it."
Horrific scenes outside the Trump trial as a man sets himself on FIRE in front of shocked media and onlookers (CNN)For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Azzarello had been arrested previously three times between August 19 and August 24, 2023, in St. Augustine. One of those arrests was for allegedly throwing a glass of wine at the wall where an autograph from Bill Clinton was in the lobby of the Casa Monica Resort & Spa.
The hotel estimated that caused between $400 and $500 (£320 to £400) worth of damage. His second arrest also came at the hotel, where Azzarello was cursing loudly and removing his clothes, police alleged.
His third arrest was for allegedly defacing different signs in St. Augustine, including one for a construction site and a "Little Free Library." In a mugshot taken by Florida cops, Azzarello is seen sticking his tongue out and closing his left eye.
Azzarello posted all over social media, and had rants on Facebook, questionable photos on IG, and even conspiracy theories on LinkedIn (Max Azzarello/Instagram)
Max Azzarello's social media was flooded with posts today, as the man left a chilling last message before setting himself on fire outside the courthosue (Max Azzarello/Instagram)People who knew Azzarello reportedly said that he’d “gone a little haywire” in recent years, with his social media rants growing more and more unhinged. His former landlord, Larry Altman, told The Daily Beast: "[He is] a very personable guy, not an idiot when you’re sitting around talking with him, but over the course of the last few years he’s become more and more involved with the thought process that everything is a conspiracy against the common person. Authority is not doing anything to help you."
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Altman added: "I would find it difficult to believe he was burning himself because he didn’t like Trump. He might be burning himself because he doesn’t like authority in general and maybe he was feeling the trial was a show trial .. I don’t know. I can’t even imagine him going that far."
One unnamed family friend said: "He has been unwell. He was very intelligent and a very strong-willed person who was extremely kind. He was a kind guy. He had a big heart. He just battled with some mental illness."
John-Martin McGhee, who grew up with Azzarello, said he had seen him two months ago. He said: "He seemed fine, we were all at a wake [but] there wasn’t an odd amount of emotion."
For mental support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit to find your nearest branch.
Anyone in the US who needs support can call the suicide hotline in the USA by dialing 988 or contact the chat line at for 24/7 free and confidential support.
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