TL;DR:
- The U.S. has charged Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national, for allegedly plotting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump under orders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
- Shakeri is accused of recruiting two men, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, to target an American journalist critical of Iran and other U.S.-based individuals.
- Shakeri allegedly planned additional attacks, including a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka and two Jewish American businesspeople in New York.
- The accused face charges of murder-for-hire and money laundering conspiracy, with Shakeri still at large and believed to be in Iran.
On Friday, November 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed charges against Farhad Shakeri, a 51-year-old Afghan national, for his alleged involvement in an Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. The indictment accuses Shakeri of being tasked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to devise a plan to kill Trump before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
According to the DOJ, Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be in Iran. He allegedly worked under the direction of an IRGC official who instructed him in September 2024 to create a detailed plan for surveilling and eventually assassinating Trump. Prosecutors revealed that Shakeri was given just seven days to propose the plan but failed to meet the deadline. The IRGC reportedly decided to pause the operation, assuming it would be easier to target Trump after the election if he lost. However, Trump won the election, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating that Shakeri was an asset of the Iranian regime tasked with leading a network of criminal associates to carry out assassination plots on U.S. soil. “Iran poses a significant threat to U.S. national security,” Garland said in a statement.
Shakeri has a criminal history in the United States, having immigrated as a child and later serving 14 years in prison for robbery before being deported in 2008. Prosecutors allege that he used his connections from prison to recruit operatives for Iran’s assassination schemes.
In addition to targeting Trump, Shakeri is accused of planning other attacks on behalf of Iran. The DOJ charged two other individuals, Carlisle Rivera (49) from Brooklyn and Jonathon Loadholt (36) from Staten Island, who were allegedly recruited by Shakeri. They are accused of plotting to kill an American journalist critical of Iran’s regime and conducting surveillance on other targets in New York City.
The journalist, identified by multiple sources as Masih Alinejad, has been outspoken against Iran’s human rights abuses and corruption. In response to the charges, Alinejad expressed her shock on social media: “I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech—I don’t want to die,” she wrote. “I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe.”
The indictment also alleges that Shakeri was instructed by his Iranian contacts to plan a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka in October 2024, one year after Hamas attacks on Israel. Additionally, two Jewish American businesspeople living in New York City were reportedly targeted due to their support for Israel on social media.
This is not the first time Trump has faced assassination attempts this year. In July 2024, a gunman grazed Trump’s ear during a rally in Pennsylvania, and in September, another man was arrested for pointing a rifle at Trump while he was golfing in West Palm Beach.
FBI Director Christopher Wray condemned Iran’s continued attempts to target U.S. citizens and government leaders: “The charges announced today expose Iran’s brazen efforts,” Wray said. He also noted that these actions are part of an ongoing pattern by Iran following heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran after Trump ordered a drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
Shakeri faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering conspiracy—offenses that carry significant prison sentences if convicted. Rivera and Loadholt appeared in court on Thursday and are currently detained pending trial.
The DOJ’s announcement underscores growing concerns over Iran’s efforts to retaliate against U.S. officials and dissidents critical of its regime. As investigations continue, authorities remain vigilant about potential threats posed by Iranian operatives both within the United States and abroad.
Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung confirmed that the president-elect is aware of the plot but remains undeterred: “Nothing will stop him from returning to the White House and restoring peace around the world,” Cheung stated.
This case highlights escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran as both nations navigate complex geopolitical challenges amidst ongoing diplomatic strains.
Source: BBC
