Max Azzarello, the man who set himself on fire outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is currently on trial late last week, dispersed pamphlets with NYU-related conspiracy theories on them prior to the fatal demonstration. The pamphlets included conspiracy theories that the university is involved in “blackmail rings,” “criminal propaganda” and “political revenge killings.”

Azzarello, who the university says was not affiliated with NYU, entered a park across from the courthouse on Friday afternoon and scattered dozens of the pamphlets before dousing himself in an accelerant. Emergency response teams brought Azzarello to a hospital burn unit in critical condition, where he later died, the New York City Police Department told WSN.

“We are shocked by the news about the individual who set himself on fire in lower Manhattan, and that he was carrying flyers mentioning NYU,” university spokesperson John Beckman said. “The claims made in the pamphlet are utterly absurd.” 

The pamphlet also directed readers to his account on the publishing platform Substack, which detailed more NYU-related conspiracy theories, including one claiming the university and several high-profile affiliates were involved in various “Ponzi schemes.” The top article on the website is titled “I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial” which identified him as a 37-year-old man from Florida. 

The New York Times reported that Azzarello only began expressing an interest in conspiracy theories last year, and his oldest post on his substack, called “The Ponzi Papers,” dates back to April 16, 2023. He had previously graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Rutgers University, and worked several sales, technology and marketing jobs. Azzarello had also worked on Rep. Tom Suozzi’s campaign for Nassau County executive in 2013.

It remains unclear when Azzarello came to New York City, although he was seen in Washington Square Park last week with a sign that read “NYU is a mob front,” talking to students and parkgoers. Azzarello had reportedly planned to conduct the demonstration — which he referred to as an “extreme act of protest” — in Washington Square Park, but changed his plans because he thought the weather and trials would draw more people to the courthouse.

“To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you,” the story reads. “But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict.”

Contact Dharma Niles at [email protected].