Public Affairs Office | Pakistani National With Ties to Iran Charged in Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Politician or Government Official

Earlier in the day, a complaint was filed in Brooklyn charging Asif Merchant, also known as Asif Raza Merchant, 46, with murder for hire in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate a U.S. politician or government official on U.S. soil. Law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody.

For years, the Justice Department has worked aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and relentless efforts to retaliate against U.S. officials for the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. The Justice Department will spare no resources to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s murderous plot against American citizens and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target U.S. officials and endanger U.S. national security.

This dangerous murder-for-hire plot outlined in today’s complaint was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook, FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a government official, or any American citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be fought with the full power and resources of the FBI.”

“The complaint unsealed today underscores once again that those who engage in deadly plots on American soil will face the full force of the American justice system,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The targeting of current and former officials by foreign actors is an affront to our sovereignty and democratic institutions, and the Justice Department will use every tool possible to expose and disrupt this egregious activity.”

Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil, said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. These prosecutions demonstrate that this office and the entire Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect the security of our country, our government officials, and our citizens from foreign threats.

“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly attempted to hire were FBI undercover agents,” said Christie Curtis, acting assistant director of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “This case highlights the dedication and tremendous efforts of our agents, analysts, and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome, but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from domestic and international threats.”

According to the allegations in the complaint and related publicly filed court documents, Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a U.S. politician or government official on U.S. soil. In or about April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted an individual he believed could assist him in this scheme. That individual reported Merchant’s behavior to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).

In early June, Merchant met with the CS in New York and explained his assassination plan. Merchant told the CS that the opportunity he had for the CS was not a one-time opportunity and that it would be ongoing. Merchant then made a hand gesture with his finger to indicate that the opportunity was related to a murder. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be targeted here, i.e., in the United States. Merchant asked the CS to set up meetings with individuals Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. Merchant explained that his plot involved several criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official.

At this meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and questioned the CS about how he would kill a target in the different scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked the CS to explain how a target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told the CS that there would be safety measures [] all around the person.

Merchant said the assassination would take place after he left the United States and that he would communicate with the CS from abroad using code words. The CS asked Merchant if he had spoken to the unidentified person he was working with in his country. Merchant said he had and that the person in his country had told him to finalize the plan and leave the United States.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the alleged hitmen, who were actually undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York. Merchant informed the agents that he was seeking three services from them: the theft of documents, organizing protests at political rallies, and assassinating a political figure. Merchant said the hitmen would be given instructions on who to kill either in the last week of August or the first week of September, after Merchant had left the United States.

Merchant then began arranging ways to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as a down payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with the help of an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of them stated that they were now out on bail, to which Merchant responded yes. The UC then stated that they were going ahead. They were, to which Merchant responded yes, absolutely.

Merchant then made flight arrangements and planned to depart the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On July 12, law enforcement placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. Merchant stated that he has a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Gilbert Rein and Douglas Pravda for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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