Fact Check: "The Department of Justice charged Farhad Shakeri in November 2023 with attempting to conduct a murder-for-hire plot against Donald Trump."
What We Know
On November 8, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against Farhad Shakeri, along with two associates, for their involvement in a murder-for-hire plot. This plot was allegedly aimed at a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin, who is a critic of the Iranian regime, and included plans to surveil and potentially assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, as stated by Attorney General Merrick Garland (Justice Department). The charges against Shakeri include murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, among others (NPR, AP News).
The DOJ's announcement detailed that Shakeri, an asset of the Iranian regime, was tasked with surveilling and plotting to assassinate targets on U.S. soil, including Trump. The criminal complaint indicates that Shakeri promised his associates $100,000 to locate and kill the primary target, who has been a vocal critic of the Iranian government (BBC).
Analysis
The claim that Shakeri was charged with a murder-for-hire plot against Trump is partially true. While the DOJ did announce charges against Shakeri that included a plot involving Trump, the context is crucial. The primary target of the plot was not Trump himself but rather a U.S. citizen critical of the Iranian regime. However, during the investigation, it was revealed that Shakeri was also tasked with developing a plan to kill Trump (AP News, NBC News).
The reliability of the sources reporting on this event is generally high, as they include official statements from the DOJ and reputable news outlets such as NPR, AP News, and BBC. These sources provide corroborating details about the charges and the nature of the plot. However, the sensational nature of the claim regarding Trump may lead to misinterpretations of the actual charges, which are broader and involve multiple targets (PBS).
Conclusion
The verdict on the claim is Partially True. While it is accurate that the DOJ charged Farhad Shakeri in connection with a murder-for-hire plot that involved Trump, the primary focus of the charges was on a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin. The mention of Trump in the context of the plot does not imply that he was the main target of the murder-for-hire scheme, but rather that he was included in the broader context of threats posed by the Iranian regime.
Sources
- Justice Department Announces Murder-For-Hire and Related Charges ...
- united states district court southern district of new york ...
- DOJ brings charges in Iranian murder-for-hire plot against Trump - NPR
- Justice Department brings criminal charges in Iranian murder-for-hire ... - AP News
- US charges man over alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump - BBC
- Justice Department files charges in murder-for-hire scheme targeting Trump - NBC News
- DOJ brings criminal charges in Iranian murder-for-hire plan that targeted Trump - PBS
