Murder-for-Hire Plot to Target Trump and Others Charged
Plot Directed by Iran’s Government
The Department of Justice on Friday charged an Iranian man and two others in a murder-for-hire plot targeting then-candidate Donald Trump and others.
Charged Individuals
The three who were charged are Farhad Shakeri of Iran; Carlisle Rivera of Brooklyn, New York; and Jonathan Loadholt, of Staten Island, New York.
Plot Details
According to the criminal complaint, an official with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly told Shakeri in mid-to-late September to focus on surveilling and assassinating Trump. Shakeri told the Iranian official that it would "cost a ‘huge’ amount of money," the complaint alleges, adding that he understood that Iran was "willing to continue spending a lot of money in its attempt" to have Trump killed.
Around October 7, the Iranian official tasked Shakeri with providing a plan within seven days to kill Trump, he told law enforcement in recorded interviews, the complaint says. The Iranian official warned Shakeri that if he was unable to offer an assassination plot by the deadline, then the IRGC would "pause its plan to kill [Trump] until after the U.S. presidential elections" because the official assessed that Trump would "lose the election and, afterward, it would be easier to assassinate [Trump]," the complaint alleges.
Shakeri’s Background
Prosecutors allege Shakeri is "an IRGC asset" living in Tehran and is an Afghan national who immigrated to the U.S. as a child. Around 2008, he was deported from the U.S. after serving about 14 years in New York State prisons following a robbery conviction in 1994.
Arrests
On Thursday, Rivera was arrested in Brooklyn and Loadholt in Staten Island.
Additional Allegations
Prosecutors also allege that they were recruited as part of a criminal network to silence and kill an American journalist known to be a strong critic of the Iranian regime and its human rights abuses.
Conclusion
The charges highlight the continued threat posed by Iran’s government to U.S. citizens and interests. The plot’s failure to come to fruition is a testament to the effectiveness of U.S. law enforcement agencies in detecting and disrupting foreign-backed terrorist plots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was charged in the murder-for-hire plot?
A: Farhad Shakeri of Iran, Carlisle Rivera of Brooklyn, New York, and Jonathan Loadholt of Staten Island, New York.
Q: Who directed the plot?
A: Iran’s government, specifically an official with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Q: What was the goal of the plot?
A: To assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump and others.
Q: How was the plot foiled?
A: U.S. law enforcement agencies detected and disrupted the plot, preventing it from coming to fruition.
