He’s sizzling for tin foil hats.
The co-founder of the viral marketing campaign “Scorching Women for Zohran” pushed bonkers anti-Israel conspiracy theories on-line claiming the nation was concerned with 9/11 and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, in keeping with a report.
Kaif Gilani, aka Kaif Kabir— who kickstarted the favored social media, merchandising and volunteer motion boosting Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid — promoted wild tweets attacking Israel, together with from identified Holocaust denier Ian Carroll, in keeping with the Jewish Insider.
In January 2025, only a few months earlier than launching the “Scorching Women” group, Gilani shared a submit from Carroll bizarrely implicating the lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee in JFK’s homicide.
“AIPAC bought the seats of about 90% or extra of our present congress. JFK famously needed them registered as a international agent proper earlier than he was shot,” the X submit from Carroll declared.
It went on to advertise the long-debunked “dancing Israelis” conspiracy idea— which falsely claims the brokers Mossad, the nation’s nationwide intelligence company, had superior information of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist assaults.
“We’re advised Israel is our ‘best ally’ so why would they’ve had a large spy community concentrating on US authorities companies main as much as sep 11, 2001,” proclaimed the submit, shared on Gilani’s X account, @chunkyfila.
Gilani — who was later employed as the best paid guide for former Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander’s congressional bid —then shared one other anti-Israel submit in Might, Jewish Insider reported.
“‘Israel has a proper to exist’ is a racist, anti-Palestinian canine whistle which suggests the extermination of the Palestinian Individuals” he retweeted.
Gilani, who has known as Israel a “settler venture nation,” additionally has a pinned submit on the prime of his Instagram that includes a picture of protesters waving the slogan “lengthy dwell Palestine.”
It exhibits the entire territory of Israel, the West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip wrapped in a keffiyeh with no boundary strains.
Final 12 months, “Scorching Women for Zohran” — identified for its signature T-shirts bearing chunky orange font with the the slogan — started organizing viral occasions, together with a Mamdani lookalike contest that was coated by Vainness Truthful.
Based in March 2025, the group rapidly grew to become a playful political canvassing motion designed to enchantment to Gen-Zers, full with celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski and Reneé Rapp rocking the T-shirts.
In a photograph posted to Substack, the Huge Apple’s now-mayor will be seen posing with with Gilani and holding up one of many tees.
Lander’s marketing campaign later paid $15,000 to Gilani’s agency, Mind Youngster LLC, to work on its “web site and social media,” in keeping with the Jewish Insider.
A consultant for Lander, a self-proclaimed progressive Zionist, mentioned Wednesday he was unaware of the posts on the time his marketing campaign employed Gilani’s firm.
“We weren’t conscious of [Gilanti’s] nameless account,” Lander’s spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, advised The Submit. “We severed his relations with the marketing campaign once we grew to become conscious.”
“The marketing campaign guide doesn’t symbolize Brad’s views,” she mentioned, including that Lander has condemned Hamas.
Scorching Women for Zohran, which was co-founded by Cait Camelia, has since undergone a “rebranding” with the brand new identify Scorching Women Manage. Its new slogans embody, “Scorching Women Soften ICE” and others preventing local weather change and AI, in keeping with Gothamist.
Gilani didn’t return The Submit’s request for remark Wednesday.
— Further reporting by Hannah Fierick
