2 Canadians, Including a Hell’s Angel, Indicted in Complex Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Iran Defectors

An exterior sign is photographed outside the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building in Washington on May 4, 2021. The Canadian Press/AP-Patrick Semansky

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the indictment of one Iranian and two Canadian nationals, one of them a member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang, in a complex murder-for-hire scheme.

“From December 2020 through March 2021, Naji Sharifi Zindashti, 49, Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43, and Adam Richard Pearson, 29, conspired with each other in a plot to murder two residents of the state of Maryland,” said a Jan. 29 Justice Department release.

Court documents reveal that the plot involved the use of the encrypted messaging service “SkyECC,” where the defendants coordinated the recruitment of hitmen, discussed the identities and locations of the victims, and negotiated logistics and payment for the murders.

The intended victims, who resided in Maryland, had previously fled to the United States after one of them defected from Iran. The U.S. Treasury Department, in tandem with the indictment, has imposed sanctions on Mr. Zindashti’s criminal network, known for targeting Iranian dissidents and opposition activists. The sanctions prohibit Mr. Zindashti and his associates from engaging in transactions involving U.S. persons or occurring within the United States.

“The Iranian regime is publicly known to have leveraged the Zindashti network,” noted the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) on a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The indictment details communication between Mr. Zindashti and Mr. Ryan regarding the plot, discussing “jobs,” “equipment,” “tools,” and the challenges of executing the plan in the United States. Mr. Pearson, in a message to Mr. Ryan, suggested shooting as the easiest method for the assassination.

According to the indictment, Mr. Zindashti, in late January 2021, sought an update from Mr. Ryan, who confirmed his readiness to proceed, with a $350,000 payment agreed upon for the job, plus an additional $20,000 for expenses. Following this, they finalized the recruitment of a four-man team for the assassination.

Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Mr. Pearson faces additional charges related to firearms possession. While Mr. Zindashti currently resides in Iran, Mr. Ryan and Mr. Pearson are incarcerated in Canada on unrelated offences.

The FBI, with assistance from CSIS and the RCMP, is investigating the case.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division stated, “The Department of Justice will pursue those plotting murders on U.S. soil, irrespective of their location, to deliver justice.” He emphasized the commitment to countering such threats to national security.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.