Iranian, Canadians Charged In MN In Global 'Murder-For-Hire' Scheme

MINNEAPOLIS — One Iranian and two Canadian nationals have been federally charged in Minnesota in an international murder-for-hire plot.

The three men aimed to kill residents of Maryland who defected from Iran and fled to the U.S., authorities claim. The team of gunmen the three hired included a Minnesota resident, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota.

Naji Sharifi Zindashti, 49, Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43, and Adam Richard Pearson, 29 each face one count of conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.

Pearson was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the U.S.

Zindashti currently resides in Iran, but Ryan and Pearson are currently incarcerated in Canada on unrelated offenses. The charges were filed following investigative assistance from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

From December 2020 through March 2021, the three men conspired with each other in a plot to murder two residents of the state of Maryland, authorities said.

According to prosecutors, the three men — including the one who was based in Iran — used an encrypted messaging service called "SkyECC" to:

• Recruit people willing to travel to the U.S. to carry out the killings
• Discuss the identities and locations of the would-be victims
• Plan logistics and mechanics of how to carry out the murders
• Negotiate payment for completion of the Maryland "job"

In addition to the charges filed Monday, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Zindashti’s criminal network that — according to prosecutors — targets Iranian dissidents and opposition activists for kidnapping and assassination at the direction of the Iranian regime.

Starting Monday, Zindashti and several of his key associates are prohibited from engaging in any transaction or dealing that involves a U.S. person or occurs in the U.S.

In January 2021, Zindashti and Ryan discussed a "job" in the U.S., with Ryan noting that doing a job there was challenging, but that he "might have someone to do it," prosecutors said,

That same day, Ryan messaged Pearson about a "job" in Maryland, according to authorities.

Pearson stated, "shooting is probably easiest thing for them," and that he was "on it." Ryan recommended: "2 guys go with proper equipment," investigators said.

Pearson said he would encourage the recruits for the job to "shoot [the victim] in the head a lot [to] make example" and that he would tell them "we gotta erase his head from his torso," according to prosecutors.

Around Jan. 30, 2021, Zindashti messaged Ryan on SkyECC seeking an update on the job, and Ryan responded that he was getting “things in order” and that he would need money, authorities said.

Days later, Zindashti and Ryan agreed on a $350,000 payment for the "job," in addition to $20,000 to cover expenses, according to investigators.

After Zindashti introduced Ryan to "co-conspirator 1," Ryan responded: "We have a 4 man team ready," authorities said.

In the following days, Ryan and co-conspirator 1 continued to correspond on SkyECC about the plot, including the exchanging of photographs and images of a map that highlighted the victims’ known address, according to prosecutors.