2 NYC Men Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot To Assassinate Trump

NEW YORK CITY — Federal authorities have charged an Iranian man and two New York men following an alleged murder-for-hire plot that included a plan to kill a critic of the Iranian regime as well as President-elect Donald Trump.

Carlisle Rivera, of Brooklyn and Jonathan Loadholt, of Staten Island, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis on Friday. A third man, Farhad Shakeri, of Iran, remains at large, authorities said.

According to authorities, Shakeri promised Loadholt and Rivera $100,000 if they could kill an outspoken critic of the Iranian regime. The person had been the target of multiple prior plots for kidnapping and murder directed by the Iranian government.

Over the course of a few months, Loadholt and Rivera followed the victim to Fairfield University, where she was scheduled to speak, and surveilled her home and a location in Brooklyn that she was associated with, authorities said.

In one voice note, Shakeri told Rivera to have patience.

"You gotta wait and have patience to catch her either going in the house or coming out, or following her out somewhere and taking care of it. Don’t think about going in. It is a suicide move," he said.

Shakeri was also tasked with plotting other assassinations against U.S. and Israeli citizens located in the United States. In particular, Shakeri was tasked with providing a plan to kill Trump.

In addition, he was offered $500,000 by the Iranian government for the murder of two Jewish American citizens residing in New York City.

All three men have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

“Actors directed by the Government of Iran continue to target our citizens, including President-elect Trump, on U.S. soil and abroad. This has to stop," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

"Today’s charges are another message to those who continue in their efforts – we will remain unrelenting in our pursuit of bad actors, no matter where they reside, and will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who harm our safety and security."

Shakeri has also been charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran.