In a case underscoring the reach of Iran’s influence operations inside the United States, a federal court in New York on Wednesday sentenced Carlyle Rivera, also known as “Bob,” to 15 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot targeting journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad, acting on direct instructions linked to the Iranian government.
What prosecutors described as a plot worthy of a political crime thriller began inside U.S. prisons and ended just steps from a Brooklyn home, where the would-be assassin lay in wait for his target.
A $100,000 Contract and Direct Iranian Links
Rivera, a previously convicted murderer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire and stalking, after accepting $100,000 to assassinate Alinejad. Court documents show the operation was orchestrated by senior figures connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) through an intermediary based in Iran, Farhad Shakeri.
Shakeri, who first met Rivera during a prior prison term, re-established contact in 2024, offering Rivera a clear assignment: track down and kill Masih Alinejad in New York.
Surveillance, Weapons, and Months of Planning
The plot went far beyond discussion. Rivera and his accomplice, Jonathan Loadholt, purchased a firearm, conducted months of surveillance, followed Alinejad to public events, and photographed locations where she was believed to be present.
Investigators recovered voice messages in which Rivera warned that the operation would be difficult, saying the target was “hard to reach,” and later confirmed that the weapon — referred to as a “slammer” — was ready.
On November 7, 2024, just before the attack could be carried out, U.S. authorities arrested Rivera. A search of his residence uncovered a firearm with a defaced serial number, reinforcing the seriousness of the plot.
“A Foreign Assassination Attempt on U.S. Soil”
The federal judge who handed down the sentence described the case as a direct example of a foreign state attempting a political assassination on American soil.
U.S. officials said the ruling sends a clear and forceful message to Tehran: any attempt to silence journalists or dissidents inside the United States will be met with relentless prosecution and severe punishment.
Prosecutors emphasized that Iran sought to use a convicted killer to silence an American journalist whose work has exposed human rights abuses, corruption, and the systematic repression of women under Iran’s ruling system.
Ongoing Cases and a Fugitive Middleman
While Rivera begins his prison sentence, Jonathan Loadholt has already pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in April 2026. The alleged Iranian intermediary, Farhad Shakeri, remains at large outside the United States.
The case adds to mounting concerns within U.S. security circles about Iranian extraterritorial operations, particularly against critics and journalists living in exile.
FAQs
Who is Masih Alinejad?
She is an Iranian-American journalist and human rights activist known for criticizing Iran’s treatment of women and political dissidents.
Who ordered the assassination plot?
U.S. prosecutors say the plan was directed by individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps through an intermediary.
Was the attack carried out?
No. U.S. authorities arrested the suspects before the assassination could take place.
What message does this verdict send?
That foreign-backed assassination plots on U.S. soil will result in severe criminal consequences.
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