Rivera, a 49-year-old welder from Brooklyn, New York, was allegedly drawn into the plot by Farhad Shakeri, an intermediary for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Shakeri reportedly hired Rivera to keep an eye on Alinejad, but the plan shifted to Trump.
Alinejad, an outspoken critic of Iran, was shocked by the news, saying: “I know the nature of the Islamic Republic, to kill anyone who dares to challenge them, who criticizes Islamic ideology.”
The FBI discovered incriminating evidence, including assault rifles, during a search warrant. Rivera, Loadholt and Shakeri allegedly shared messages and photos as part of their surveillance activities.
According to a recent report, they exchanged text and voice messages detailing plans to kill Alinejad and later Trump.
Shakeri, who is now in hiding in Tehran, is believed to have orchestrated the assassination plots.