Two individuals, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, were arrested in connection with an assassination plot targeting former President Donald Trump, orchestrated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The FBI revealed the details of the plot, showing that the men were recruited by Farhad Shakeri, a convicted criminal with a history of robbery.
Initially, the plan was to assassinate Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad, a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, but it was later redirected toward Trump in September 2024. The arrests came just days before the U.S. presidential election, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.
The plot began in December 2023 when an Iranian official contacted Shakeri and instructed him to organize the murder of Alinejad. Shakeri, who had served 14 years in a U.S. prison, enlisted Rivera and Loadholt to conduct surveillance on Alinejad and track her movements.
Over several months, the three men communicated regularly, with Shakeri providing detailed instructions on how to approach the assassination. He urged his co-conspirators to be patient, warning them that entering Alinejad’s home would be too dangerous.
FBI Uncovers Iranian-Backed Assassination Plot Against Trump, Two Men Arrested Days Before Election
In September 2024, the mission changed focus. Shakeri was ordered to abandon the plot against Alinejad and instead target Donald Trump. Although Shakeri raised concerns about the cost of carrying out the new plan, Iranian officials assured him that money was not an issue.
They believed that after the November election, it would be easier to execute the assassination. Shakeri met with Iranian officials on October 7, but he later claimed to the FBI that he had no intention of meeting the set deadline for carrying out the murder.
The plot against Trump became known when he disclosed on September 25 that he had been briefed about an Iranian attempt on his life. This was not the first assassination threat against Trump, as previous attempts had been made, including one in July 2024 at a rally in Pennsylvania. Following these threats, Trump’s security was increased, and the FBI continued its investigation into the plot against him.
Rivera, Loadholt, and Shakeri now face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering. Rivera and Loadholt were arrested and denied bail, while Shakeri remains at large, believed to be in Iran.
This case highlights the ongoing threat posed by Iran’s paramilitary forces, with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland condemning the Iranian regime as a “grave threat” to U.S. national security.
