US charges 3 in alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, dissident journalist

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges on Friday against three men linked to an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate second-time-elected President Donald Trump and a prominent dissident journalist of Iranian descent.

Prosecutors said the plot was orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Farhad Shakeri accused of leading alleged plot

Farhad Shakeri, 51, described as an IRGC asset residing in Tehran, is accused of coordinating the plot. Shakeri allegedly used a network of criminal associates, including Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathan Loadholt, 36, both of New York.

Rivera and Loadholt were charged with surveilling the dissident journalist, who was an outspoken critic of the Iranian government.

Farhad Shakeri, 51, of Iran; Carlisle Rivera, also known as Pop, 49, of Brooklyn, New York; and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were charged today in a criminal complaint in connection with their alleged involvement in a plot to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York. Rivera was arrested in Brooklyn, New York, and Loadholt was arrested in Staten Island, New York, yesterday.

Shakeri remains at large and is believed to reside in Iran. Rivera and Loadholt made their initial appearance in the Southern District of New York yesterday and were ordered detained pending trial.

US Justice Department

Trump targeted in retaliatory plot, FBI says

According to the complaint, Shakeri was tasked by the IRGC with formulating a plan to assassinate Trump. FBI Director Christopher Wray said the charges reveal Iran’s ongoing attempts to target American officials and dissidents.

Shakeri allegedly disclosed details of the plot to FBI agents, hoping to negotiate a sentence reduction for an imprisoned associate.

Iranian government denies allegations

Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations, calling them “totally unfounded.” A spokesperson stated that Iran was not implicated in any assassination attempt targeting American officials, labeling the claims as part of a broader campaign by foreign adversaries.

The spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, categorically dismissed allegations that Iran was involved in attempts to assassinate former and current US officials and described the claims as completely baseless and rejected.

Baghaei highlighted that similar accusations have been made in… pic.twitter.com/hpVXYYHhdU

— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) November 9, 2024

Baghaei highlighted that similar accusations have been made in the past, which the Islamic Republic of Iran has firmly denied and proven false.

He emphasized that repeating such claims at this juncture is a malicious conspiracy orchestrated by Zionist and anti-Iranian circles, aimed at further complicating the issues between the US and Iran.

He also underscored that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as has previously stated, remains committed to utilizing all legitimate and legal means at both domestic and international levels to restore the rights of the Iranian nation.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Prominent journalist believed to be targeted

While the DOJ did not name the journalist, descriptions matched Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American critic of the Tehran regime who had previously faced kidnapping and assassination threats.

Alinejad, known for her outspoken stance against Iran’s head-covering laws, has been a target of multiple plots, including a 2021 kidnapping attempt.

I am shocked. I just learned from the @FBI that two men were arrested yesterday in a new plot to kill me at Fairfield University, where I was scheduled to give a talk.

I also learned that the person assigned to assassinate @realDonaldTrump was also assigned to kill me on U.S.… pic.twitter.com/3dL8yzBpQl

— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) November 8, 2024

I am shocked. I just learned from the FBI that two men were arrested yesterday in a new plot to kill me at Fairfield University, where I was scheduled to give a talk.

I also learned that the person assigned to assassinate Donald Trump was also assigned to kill me on U.S. soil. The alleged killers also went in front of my house in Brooklyn. I call on the U.S. government and the future President of the United States to be tough on terror. The Islamic Republic understands only one language: the language of pressure.

I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech—I don’t want to die. I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe. Thank you to law enforcement for protecting me, but I urge the U.S. government to protect the national security of America.

Masih Alinejad

Court proceedings and response

Rivera and Loadholt remain in custody following their court appearance in New York. They face charges of conspiring to kill a U.S. citizen under the direction of a foreign power. Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.