The Wire Pakistan Exclusive: Pakistani National Charged in US for Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting American Politician

By Ali K. Chishti, Editor In Chief

In a significant development, earlier today, the US Department of Justice unsealed a complaint in federal court in Brooklyn charging Asif Raza Merchant, also known as “Asif Merchant,” 46, with murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate a politician or US government officials on American soil. Law enforcement successfully foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is now in federal custody in New York.

Arrest and Charges

The arrest and charges were announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, US Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Acting Assistant Director Christie M. Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office.

Official Statements

“For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens, and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.”

“Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of US government officials on American soil,” said US Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This prosecution demonstrates that this Office and the entire Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect our nation’s security, our government officials, and our citizens from foreign threats.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray added, “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook. A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any US citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division emphasized, “The complaint unsealed today underscores, yet again, that those who engage in lethal plotting on US soil will face the full force of the American justice system. The targeting of former and current officials by foreign actors is an affront to our sovereignty and our democratic institutions and the Department of Justice will use every possible tool to expose and disrupt this egregious activity.”

Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office said, “Fortunately, the assassins Merchant tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents. This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts, and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”

The Assassination Plot

According to court documents, Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a politician or US government officials on US soil. In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. This individual reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (CS).

In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant informed the CS that the opportunity he had was ongoing, not a one-time event. He made a “finger gun” gesture to indicate the plot was related to a killing and stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” meaning in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals he could hire for the actions. The plot included multiple criminal schemes: stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home, planning a protest, and killing a politician or government official.

During their meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed the CS on how to kill a target under various conditions. He stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words. The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home, to which Merchant confirmed and said the party had instructed him to “finalize” the plan and leave the US.

In mid-June, Merchant met with undercover US law enforcement officers (UCs) posing as hitmen in New York. He sought their services for theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies, and killing a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on whom to kill either the last week of August or the first week of September after he had left the US. On June 21, Merchant paid the UCs a $5,000 advance for the assassination.

Arrest and Ongoing Investigation

Merchant arranged to leave the US on July 12, but law enforcement agents arrested him before he could depart. Merchant has stated that he has a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan. The charges in the complaint are allegations, and Merchant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant US Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Gilbert Rein, and Douglas Pravda are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys David Smith and Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

Reaction from Pakistan

The Foreign Office in Pakistan has stated it is in touch with US authorities and is awaiting further details about the charges against Merchant. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “We have seen the media reports. We are in touch with the US authorities and await further details.”

Background on Asif Merchant

Merchant worked as a branch manager in a bank in Karachi in 2010. He managed an Asset and Liability Portfolio of over Rs 1,850 million, including clients from various sectors such as Petroleum, Textiles, Leather, Paper Products, Chemicals, and Pharmaceuticals, as well as various Retail, Commercial, and Corporate clients.

Merchant's responsibilities included marketing new clients to enhance the business portfolio, overseeing retail credit proposals as a member of the Retail Credit Committee (RCC), internal controls and their implementation, and reviewing and monitoring branch financials including assets and liabilities, profit and loss, and revenue and expense, as well as preparing and presenting interim and annual reviews.

According to a friend who wished to remain anonymous, “He was unstable and converted to Shism and kept on moving. He had, I think, developed mental issues and was the conspiracy-ridden type. However, I cannot believe that he could be able to do such a thing.”

Stay tuned to The Wire Pakistan for further updates on this developing story.