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The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Saturday that Farhad Shakeri, an Iranian asset, has been charged with orchestrating a network to carry out assassination plots targeting high-profile individuals, including President-elect Donald Trump.
Two alleged associates, Eric Loadholt and James Rivera, were also arrested, accused of helping execute the attacks under Shakeri’s direction.
According to court filings, Shakeri coordinated a network in the U.S. to track and eliminate Iranian dissidents and U.S. nationals. This is seen as part of a larger IRGC campaign to retaliate for the January 2020 death of Qasem Soleimani, an IRGC-Qods Force commander killed in a U.S. drone strike.
The court records reveal that on October 7, 2024, Shakeri received instructions to devise a plan targeting President-elect Trump.
Iranian plot targeting President-elect Trump
The U.S. Department of Justice has disclosed that Iranian asset Farhad Shakeri was tasked by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on October 7, 2024, to devise an assassination plan targeting President-elect Donald Trump. According to court filings, Shakeri claimed during interviews with law enforcement officials that he did not intend to complete this plan within the timeframe specified by the IRGC.
Farhad Shakeri and network in the US
Shakeri, who previously lived in the U.S. but was deported in 2008, reportedly used contacts from his time in prison to assemble a team of operatives for the IRGC.
Surveillance and targeting of Victim-1
Investigations indicate that Shakeri also directed two associates, Eric Loadholt and James Rivera, to conduct surveillance on a U.S.-based critic of Iran, referred to as Victim-1. The team tracked Victim-1’s movements, reportedly receiving detailed instructions from Shakeri on when and where to locate her.
Financial incentives for assassination
The DOJ alleges Shakeri promised Loadholt and Rivera $100,000 to assassinate Victim-1. Shakeri provided specific instructions to await Victim-1 outside her residence or identify other vulnerable locations where the attack could occur, emphasizing a strategic approach to carry out the plot.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized that the Justice Department remains firm in its commitment to national security. “We will not stand for the Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger the American people,” Garland stated, underscoring the DOJ’s intent to counter foreign-led assassination plots within the U.S.
FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the IRGC, designated as a terrorist organization, coordinated with criminal networks to orchestrate attacks on U.S. soil. “Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, their deadly schemes were disrupted,” Wray said, reaffirming the FBI’s dedication to protecting Americans from adversaries, including Iran.
The FBI’s New York Field Office leads the investigation, supported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the DEA. The DOJ’s actions highlight the urgency of countering foreign threats posed by the IRGC’s global operations aimed at U.S. citizens and officials.