The U.S. Department of Justice has unveiled charges against three individuals involved in a thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, a scheme reportedly orchestrated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The charges, announced Friday, allege that Farhad Shakeri, 51, an Iranian national residing in Tehran, was directed to plan and execute an assassination on Trump. Shakeri remains at large, while two co-conspirators, American citizens Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, were arrested in New York for their involvement in related plots against Iranian-American targets.
According to a criminal complaint filed in a federal court in New York City, Shakeri was tasked by a senior IRGC official in October 2024 to devise a plan for Trump's assassination within a week. If unsuccessful, the IRGC intended to delay any further action until after the presidential election, with the expectation that Trump would lose and become an easier target. "The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran's assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump," Attorney General Merrick Garland stated.
The plot was disclosed amid growing concerns that Iran might seek retribution for the 2020 killing of IRGC General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike. Iranian officials have denied any involvement in the scheme, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei describing the allegations as "completely baseless and rejected," labeling them a "malicious conspiracy" by anti-Iranian entities. In a statement, Iran insisted it had been falsely accused of similar plots in the past.
The DOJ's complaint indicates that Shakeri, a former U.S. resident deported in 2008 after serving a prison sentence for robbery, engaged in a series of meetings with IRGC officials in Tehran. Shakeri reportedly leveraged contacts from his time in the U.S. prison system to recruit operatives willing to assist the IRGC's plans on American soil. Rivera and Loadholt, charged alongside Shakeri, allegedly surveilled Iranian-American journalist and political activist Masih Alinejad, who has long been critical of the Iranian regime and has faced previous threats. The duo purportedly monitored Alinejad's movements and discussed strategies for carrying out an assassination.
In one recorded exchange, Rivera was heard saying, "This b*tch is hard to catch, bro. And because she hard to catch, there ain't gonna be no simple pull up, unless there the luck of the draw." The DOJ asserts that Rivera and Loadholt sought $100,000 from Shakeri for their services, demanding upfront payment.
The DOJ further revealed that Shakeri's mandate from the IRGC extended beyond targeting Trump and Alinejad. He was allegedly instructed to plan a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka and to surveil two Jewish businesspeople residing in New York City.
The Iranian government's denials have done little to quell tensions. In Washington, officials underscored the gravity of the threat posed by Iran. FBI Director Christopher Wray characterized the scheme as emblematic of the IRGC's ongoing efforts to endanger U.S. citizens. "There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran," Wray remarked.
The charges against Shakeri, Rivera, and Loadholt include murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy, among others. If convicted, they face potential sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison. Shakeri also faces additional charges related to providing support to a foreign terrorist organization and violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.
As investigations continue, the DOJ remains resolute in its commitment to thwarting threats to American safety. "We will not stand for the Iranian regime's attempts to endanger the American people and America's national security," Garland emphasized.
