A federal jury on Friday convicted Asif Merchant, also known as Asif Raza Merchant, of murder-for-hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism, officials announced.
Prosecutors said Merchant was a trained operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist organization. At trial, Merchant admitted the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange political assassinations and steal documents, but law enforcement disrupted the plot before any attack occurred.
Merchant arrived in the United States in April 2024 and met in June with individuals he believed were hitmen, who were actually undercover law enforcement officers in New York. Authorities arrested him in July 2024 before he could leave the country.
Merchant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
“Merchant, a trained Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operative, entered the United States intending to commit acts of terror, and ultimately, to facilitate the assassination of U.S. government officials, including President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General for National security John A. Eisenberg. “Merchant’s plot struck at the heart of our democracy and our commitment to the rule of law. NSD remains committed to defending our Nation from the pernicious threat of terrorism.”
According to trial testimony and exhibits – including the defendant’s own testimony – Merchant began working for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Pakistan in late 2022 or early 2023, where he received training in tradecraft and countersurveillance. Later in 2023, he traveled to the United States to identify potential IRGC recruits who could remain in the country. Merchant testified he knew the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization and made repeated trips to Iran to meet his handler.
In 2024, Merchant returned to the United States with instructions to recruit individuals he believed were Mafia members to steal documents, stage protests and arrange the assassination of one of three U.S. government officials or politicians.
Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York, Nadeem Ali, seeking help with the plan. Ali reported the contact to law enforcement and became a confidential source.
In June, Merchant met Ali in New York and described the plot, making a “finger gun” gesture to indicate the killing. He said the targets would be attacked in the United States and asked Ali to arrange meetings with potential hitmen. Merchant discussed scenarios for killing a target despite heavy security and said instructions on the victim would be provided after he left the country.
Ali later introduced Merchant to two purported hitmen who were undercover law enforcement officers. Merchant told them he wanted three services: theft of documents, organizing protests at political rallies and killing a “political person.”
Merchant researched political rally locations and reported security details to his IRGC handler. On June 21, 2024, he paid the undercover officers $5,000 as an advance for the assassination.
Merchant planned to leave the United States on July 12, 2024, but law enforcement arrested him that day before he could depart.