WASHINGTON – The Justice Department revealed on Friday that three individuals have been charged in a conspiracy to kill President-elect Donald Trump as an act of retaliation for the death of a prominent Iranian military leader.

The indictment identifies Farhad Shakeri, 51, from Iran, as well as New Yorkers Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36.

Rivera and Loadholt were taken into custody on Thursday in New York, where they were ordered to remain in detention until their trial. Shakeri is currently on the run and is believed to be in Iran.

The allegations suggest that Iran has been targeting American citizens for revenge following the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who died in a drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 on Trump’s orders.

According to the Justice Department, Shakeri informed law enforcement in recorded discussions that on October 7, he was instructed to “come up with a plan to kill President-elect Donald J. Trump.” Although he claimed he did not plan to carry out the assassination in the timeframe specified by Iran, he revealed that he was also surveilling two Jewish Americans in New York City and was offered $500,000 by an Iranian official for carrying out the murder of one of the individuals.

All three individuals face serious charges, including murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years; conspiracy to commit murder, also carrying a 10-year sentence, and money-laundering conspiracy, which could result in a 20-year sentence.

Officials claim Iran has specifically targeted Trump for assassination and attempted to interfere with the 2024 presidential election through cyberattacks.

“Iran remains one of the most significant threats to U.S. national security,” stated Attorney General Merrick Garland. “The Justice Department has charged an Iranian regime asset who was responsible for coordinating a network of criminals to advance Iran’s assassination schemes, including against President-elect Donald Trump.”

Prosecutors identified Shakeri as an asset of the Iranian Republican Guard residing in Tehran. He immigrated to the U.S. as a child but was deported around 2008 after serving 14 years for robbery.

In recent times, Shakeri has allegedly assembled a group of criminal associates from his past incarceration to help the Iranian Republican Guard recruit operatives to conduct spying and assassination missions. His co-defendants, Loadholt and Rivera, are reportedly part of this network.

The two men arrested in New York were also reportedly involved in plans to kill a journalist known for criticizing the Iranian regime, according to Garland.

While the prosecutors did not reveal the specific identity of the journalist, it appears to match the description of Masih Alinejad, who has spoken out against Iran’s mandatory hijab laws. In 2021, four Iranians were charged with a scheme to kidnap her, and in 2022, a man was apprehended with a rifle outside her residence.

“We will not tolerate the Iranian regime’s efforts to threaten the safety of the American people and our national security,” Garland asserted.