NEW YORK — A federal jury on Thursday convicted two men with ties to the Iranian government in a murder-for-hire conspiracy targeting a prominent Iranian-American dissident and journalist residing in New York. Rafat Amirov, 46, of Iran, and Polad Omarov, 40, of Georgia, were each found guilty on all five counts in a superseding indictment following a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.
The pair were convicted of charges including murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Prosecutors say they orchestrated the plot on behalf of senior officials in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to assassinate Masih Alinejad, a well-known critic of the Iranian regime. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for September 17.
Key Points
- Two men with ties to Iran’s IRGC convicted in U.S. murder-for-hire plot targeting journalist Masih Alinejad.
- Plot involved surveillance and attempted assassination with an assault rifle in New York.
- FBI and DOJ credited with foiling operation; sentencing set for September 17.
“The Iranian regime’s brazen plot to silence and murder Americans will not be tolerated,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Authorities said the effort underscores a longstanding campaign by the Iranian government to target Alinejad for her advocacy and reporting on human rights abuses.
According to court documents, Amirov and Omarov were members of an Eastern European organized crime group that received instructions from the IRGC to surveil and kill Alinejad.
The plot escalated in July 2022 when Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the group, began conducting surveillance outside Alinejad’s home in Yonkers, N.Y., after receiving targeting data passed from IRGC operatives through Amirov and Omarov.
Mehdiyev was later apprehended with an AK-47-style rifle, two magazines, 66 rounds of ammunition, and a ski mask, after being pulled over for a traffic violation. The weapon and surveillance efforts were funded in part by a $30,000 cash payment arranged by Amirov and Omarov. The men exchanged frequent electronic communications during the operation, including real-time updates and images of Alinejad’s residence.
Authorities say Omarov threatened Mehdiyev’s family after Mehdiyev was arrested, attempting to pressure them for information.
Both Amirov and Omarov were found guilty of five federal offenses: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit money laundering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and firearm possession in relation to the attempted murder.
The FBI’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division in New York, the Iran Threat Task Force, and the NYPD conducted the investigation. Support was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Czech Republic authorities. The charges carry penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison.