Iranian Nationals Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Maryland Residents

MARYLAND News (1/30/2024) – The U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges against one Iranian and two Canadian nationals in connection with a murder-for-hire plot targeting two residents of Maryland. The accused individuals, Naji Sharifi Zindashti, Damion Patrick John Ryan, and Adam Richard Pearson, allegedly conspired to carry out the murders between December 2020 and March 2021. The intended victims, who had defected from Iran, were living in Maryland at the time.

The court documents reveal that the defendants utilized the encrypted messaging service “SkyECC” to recruit individuals for the plot, discuss victim identities and locations, plan logistics, and negotiate payment for the intended murders. The Treasury Department, in parallel with the indictment, has taken action against Zindashti’s criminal network, which is accused of targeting Iranian dissidents and opposition activists for kidnapping and assassination at the behest of the Iranian regime.

The indictment outlines communications between the accused, with discussions about the nature of the job, logistics, and a $350,000 payment agreement for the murders. Pearson, one of the defendants, faces additional charges of possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States.

Notably, Zindashti is currently residing in Iran, while Ryan and Pearson are incarcerated in Canada for unrelated offenses. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division emphasized the commitment to pursuing justice for those involved in plotting murders on U.S. soil. U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota and Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division also expressed condemnation of the alleged plot, affirming the FBI’s dedication to preventing such acts against U.S. residents.

The indictment details the defendants’ communication on SkyECC, discussing the “job” in the United States and sharing information about the victims, including photographs and the victims’ known address. A $20,000 payment for travel expenses associated with the plot was allegedly facilitated by one of the co-conspirators.

While an indictment is an allegation, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges include conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Pearson faces additional firearm-related charges.

The investigation into this case involves collaboration between U.S. and Canadian authorities, highlighting the transnational nature of the alleged conspiracy. The charges come amid broader actions taken by the U.S. Department of the Treasury against a network led by Iranian narcotics trafficker Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, accused of carrying out acts of transnational repression on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

Story by multiple RFHC contributors