Who Was Max Azzarello? US Man Who Set Self On Fire Before Trump Trial

The man who set himself on fire outside the New York court where Donald Trump's hush money trial was set to begin on Friday, threw a stack of pamphlets in the air containing conspiracy theories, before immolating himself.

The man, identified as Max Azzarello, who had travelled to New York from Florida, is alive but in a critical condition.

"(They were) almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob," senior police officer Joseph Kenny said.

The pamphlets contain link to a newsletter titled “The Ponzi Papers” where Mr Azzarello shared several theories linking crypto billionaires, former US president Bill Clinton, sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Hollywood actor Rob Lowe to an "apocalyptic fascist world coup".

"I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial," read the title of the over 2,600 word manifesto outlining the self-described investigative researcher's multiple theories.

"My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: 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," it reads.

The manifesto also includes photos of printed pamphlets containing similar theories including titles like "The True History of the World (Haunted Carnival Edition)", "NYU is a Mob Front" and "D-----t Secrets of our Rotten World".

Days before the self-immolation, Mr Azzarello was pictured holding a sign while protesting outside the same courthouse which read "Trump is with Biden and they're about to fascist coup us." After the news of the act, several videos of Mr Azzarello reading out parts of his manifesto as well as singing and calling on viewers to start a revolution have gone viral.

A photo of a younger, smiling Azzarello with Bill Clinton has also surfaced on social media. Mr Clinton is one of the 100 influential people Mr Azzarello sued in a conspiracy theory filled case that was tossed out by the court last year.

Police said they have "labelled him a sort of conspiracy theorist" and investigating the incident. "His condition is not good, but as of now he is still alive," they added.