Neo-Nazi Craig Paul Cobb, 61, has been buying up property in Leith, North Dakota to convert the town of 19 people into a bastion of white supremacy dubbed Cobbsville.

Residents would be required to fly a “racialist banner” such as Neo-Nazi flag at all times and to “import more responsible radical hard core [white nationalists].”

In a post he on the Vanguard News Network forum Cobb wrote: “Imagine strolling over to your neighbors to discuss world politics with nearly all like-minded volk. Imagine the international publicity and usefulness to our cause! For starters, we could declare a Mexican illegal invaders and Israeli Mossad/IDF spies no-go zone. If leftist journalists or antis come and try to make trouble, they just might break one of our local ordinances and would have to be arrested by our town constable. See?”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Cobb had been living in Estonia but was deported to Canada where he was arrested in 2010 on charges of promoting hatred. He fled to the U.S.

“Cobb is the most hardcore white supremacist anti-Semite you can have,” Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project, told MSN News. “What he’s doing up there is extremely serious in the world of white supremacists because he’s making happen what a lot of these guys only dream about. He’s buying property and giving it to other white supremacists and he’s gotten some very prominent white supremacists to buy land up there.”

Residents of the community are concerned but as of the moment not taking any action against Cobb. “As of now we’re just kind of waiting. The guy has done nothing wrong. There’s not a lot that we can do except wait and see if he’s going to pursue this,” Mayor Ryan Schock, told MSN News.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount