From a Justice Department press release on Wednesday (and see the indictment):
POLAD OMAROV, a/k/a “Araz Aliyev”, a/k/a “Polad Gaga”, a/k/a “Haji Gaga”, [has been extradited] from the Czech Republic on charges of murder for hire and money laundering contained in a superseding indictment…. OMAROV was arrested in the Czech Republic on January 4, 2023, at the request of the United States, arrived in the Southern District of New York on February 21, 2024, and will be arraigned on the superseding indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave more late today.
US Attorney Damian Williams said: “Polad Omarov is accused of brazenly attempting to kill an outspoken critic of human rights abuses in Iran, right here on American soil. The audacious alleged plot to kidnap and kill the victim is indicative of the Iranian policies of aggressive repression”. and violence against anyone who speaks against them. Today’s extradition makes clear our unwavering determination to charge and bring to justice anyone who attempts to stifle free speech in the United States, especially at the behest of a malign foreign regime.” …
The press release describes the allegations (while stressing that they are only allegations):
OMAROV, the leader of an Eastern European organized crime group (the “Organization”), collaborated with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin (the “Victim”) on the instructions of individuals in Iran . The Victim has previously been the target of plots by the Iranian government to intimidate, harass and kidnap the Victim. The victim is a journalist, author and human rights activist who has publicized the Iranian government’s human rights abuses and repression of political expression, including in connection with ongoing anti-regime protests across Iran. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian officials and intelligence assets plotted to abduct the victim from the United States for delivery to Iran, in an effort to silence the victim’s criticism of the regime.
Beginning in approximately mid-July 2022, OMAROV’s co-defendant, RAFAT AMIROV, a leader of the Organization residing in Iran, sent OMAROV targeted information, which AMIROV had received from other individuals in Iran, about the victim and the victim’s residence. OMAROV, in turn, communicated information about the attack to co-defendant KHALID MEHDIYEV, a leader of the Organization residing in Yonkers, New York, in order to begin conducting surveillance of the victim and reconnaissance of the victim’s residence and of the surrounding neighborhood. MEHDIYEV sent photographs and videos of the victim’s residence to OMAROV for further sharing with AMIROV and the orchestrators of the plot in Iran.
Following MEHDIYEV’s initial surveillance of the victim’s residence, AMIROV and OMAROV arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to be delivered to MEHDIYEV in New York City in furtherance of the conspiracy. MEHDIYEV used a portion of this cash payment to purchase a Chinese-made AK-47-type assault rifle, along with two ammunition magazines and at least 66 rounds of ammunition. MEHDIYEV boasted in electronic communications that he had acquired a “war machine.”
Between July 20 and 28, 2022, MEHDIYEV repeatedly traveled to the victim’s neighborhood to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance, sending activity reports, photographs, and videos of the victim to OMAROV for further distribution to AMIROV. On July 24, 2022, after arriving at the victim’s residence, MEHDIYEV reported to OMAROV that MEHDIYEV was “at the crime scene.” OMAROV encouraged MEHDIYEV: “You are a man!” MEHDIYEV explained to OMAROV that “we blocked him from both sides, it will be a spectacle when he leaves the house.” OMAROV forwarded this report to AMIROV, who responded: “God willing.”
MEHDIYEV was unable to carry out the assassination that day and returned several subsequent days to look for opportunities to complete the assassination mission. AMIROV, OMAROV and MEHDIYEV planned several strategies to attempt to lure the Victim out of hiding, including attempting to ask her for flowers from the Victim’s garden. On July 28, 2022, MEHDIYEV sent OMAROV a video taken from inside the car MEHDIYEV was driving showing the assault rifle, along with the message that “we are ready.” The victim, after observing suspicious activity outside the residence, left the area and MEHDIYEV left shortly thereafter. After MEHDIYEV left the victim’s home, he was stopped for a traffic violation and during a subsequent search of the car, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash and a black balaclava.
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OMAROV, 39, of Georgia, was charged with: (i) murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; (ii) conspiracy to commit murder for hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment; and (iii) conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The potential maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by Judge McMahon.
AMIROV, 45, of Iran, and MEHDIYEV, 25, of Yonkers, New York, were previously arrested on charges contained in the superseding indictment….