Russian Mob Leaders Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murder-For-Hire Plot
A significant victory for press freedom and global counter-intelligence was secured this week as TWO RUSSIAN MOB LEADERS WERE SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON in the United States for their participation in a brazen MURDER-FOR-HIRE plot.
The high-profile case exposed a chilling conspiracy where a major international organized crime syndicate was allegedly contracted by the IRANIAN GOVERNMENT to assassinate a prominent Iranian-American journalist and human rights activist.
The stiff sentence is intended to send an unequivocal message that foreign governments cannot use criminal proxies to silence critics on American soil. This verdict confirms that the pursuit of JUSTICE for those targeted by state-sponsored violence remains a top priority for Western law enforcement.
Headline Points
• 25-Year Sentence: Russian mob leaders Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov were each sentenced to 25 years in a US federal prison for the foiled murder plot.
• Iranian Target: The intended victim was Masih Alinejad, a well-known journalist and activist critical of the Iranian regime, residing in Brooklyn, New York.
• State-Sponsored Contract: Prosecutors successfully argued that the assassination was ordered by high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who offered the mob syndicate $500,000.
• Mob Structure: Amirov, a ‘Vor’ (Thief-in-Law), the highest rank in the Russian Mob, and Omarov, his close associate, were key figures in an Azerbaijani faction of the organized crime group.
• Plot Disruption: The attempt, which prosecutors described as “chillingly near success,” was disrupted in July 2022 after police intercepted the hired hitman carrying an AK-47 style assault rifle near the journalist’s residence.
• Prior Attempts: The murder-for-hire plot was initiated only after earlier attempts by Iranian intelligence, including an effort to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from the United States, had failed.
The Anatomy of a State-Sponsored Assassination Plot
The sentencing of Rafat Amirov, 46, and Polad Omarov, 41, on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court concluded a case that has revealed the sinister lengths to which foreign powers will go to silence dissent.
Following a two-week trial in March 2025, the men were convicted of charges including murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and attempted murder in aid of racketeering.
According to evidence presented by the Department of Justice, the conspiracy was spearheaded by high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who specifically sought the assistance of a powerful faction of the Russian Mob known as the “Thieves in Law.” The motivation was clear:
to permanently silence Masih Alinejad, a journalist and women’s rights campaigner who has used her platform to expose the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses to millions globally.
Previous efforts by Iranian intelligence to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from the US and transport her to Iran in 2020 and 2021 had been thwarted by US law enforcement.
Undeterred, the IRGC escalated their approach, offering the organized crime group $500,000 in “blood money” for her assassination.
The Mob’s Role and Near-Success
Amirov, described as a ‘Vor’ or ‘Thief-in-Law’—the most powerful rank in the Russian Mob—was the central link between the IRGC and the operational hit team. He received the targeting information, including Ms. Alinejad’s New York home address, directly from his Iranian contacts.
This intelligence was then passed to Omarov, who oversaw the operation on the ground.
Omarov, who prosecutors identified as being from the country of Georgia, then recruited a hitman, Khalid Mehdiyev, paying him a portion of the advance—reportedly $30,000—to execute the killing. Mehdiyev, an Azerbaijani mobster, admitted to using the money to purchase an AK-47 style assault rifle, magazines, and 66 rounds of ammunition, which he described as a “war machine.”
The plot came terrifyingly close to succeeding in late July 2022. Mehdiyev repeatedly staked out Ms. Alinejad’s Brooklyn home, sending photographs, videos, and updates on his surveillance to Omarov.
Testimony revealed that Mehdiyev was outside the residence when he reported to Omarov that he was “at the crime scene” and later told Omarov that he was “ready” to kill the journalist. The plot was only disrupted by a combination of luck—Ms. Alinejad was out of town—and the diligence of American law enforcement.
Mehdiyev was arrested after he was stopped by police for a traffic violation near the journalist’s home, leading to the discovery of the loaded assault rifle in his car and the subsequent unraveling of the entire scheme.
A Warning to Foreign Aggressors
Before imposing the sentence, Judge Colleen McMahon underscored the severity of the crime, calling it a “terrible, terrible crime.” She emphasised that the sentence was crucial to sending a clear message to foreign gangs and foreign powers that “this kind of conduct will not be tolerated by the United States.”
Speaking outside the courthouse, Ms. Alinejad, who has lived under constant threat for years, stated, “Justice is beautiful.” Her case highlights the persistent danger faced by dissidents, journalists, and activists living abroad who dare to speak out against authoritarian regimes.
The convictions and the subsequent 25-year sentences for both Amirov and Omarov serve as a potent deterrent against similar transnational repression attempts.
While the Iranian officials who orchestrated the plot remain at large in Iran, the lengthy prison terms for the Russian mob leaders underscore the robust commitment of US law enforcement to protecting American residents from state-sponsored violence and the weaponisation of international organised crime.
