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According to authorities, the moment that sealed Merchant’s fate came during a meeting where he allegedly sketched out plans for the killings on a napkin. That meeting was secretly recorded. The man Merchant believed he was working with turned out to be cooperating with law enforcement.
The investigation intensified when Merchant reportedly tried to hire two supposed contract killers. Federal prosecutors say he offered $5,000 to carry out the job. What Merchant did not realize was that the individuals he was dealing with were actually undercover FBI agents.
The alleged operation never moved beyond the planning phase. Authorities arrested Merchant before any attack could be carried out.
Federal agents moved in while he was attempting to leave the United States, stopping him before prosecutors say the plot could advance further.
Merchant was formally indicted in July 2024 on charges connected to the alleged assassination conspiracy. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
During his testimony, Merchant told jurors that the assignment began with what he described as smaller tasks for Iranian contacts. He said he was initially instructed to identify people in the United States who might be willing to help Iran with various activities.
But the mission, according to Merchant, quickly escalated.
He told the jury that his alleged handler eventually asked him to locate individuals with criminal connections who could assist with operations including protests, theft, money laundering, and eventually assassination.
“He did not tell me exactly who it is, but he told me — he named three people: Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley,” he said.
Prosecutors argue Merchant’s actions demonstrate he was fully committed to the conspiracy. They pointed to evidence showing that even after being stopped by immigration officials at Houston’s airport in April 2024 and questioned about his travels to Iran, Merchant allegedly continued pushing forward with the plan.
Investigators say he later researched Trump rally schedules and began drafting ideas for a possible shooting at a political event.
Authorities also claim Merchant contacted individuals he believed were hit men and obtained $5,000 from a relative that prosecutors describe as a payment connected to the scheme.
Merchant told jurors that he maintained communication with his alleged Iranian handler through an unusual method. He testified that he sent updates hidden inside a book that was shipped to Iran through intermediaries.
However, Merchant now claims those updates were fabricated and that he never truly intended to carry out the plot.
He told the jury he believed he would be arrested before anything could happen and that his goal was to eventually cooperate with U.S. authorities.
Merchant even testified that he hoped working with investigators might help him secure legal status in the United States.
Prosecutors strongly dispute that explanation.
In court filings submitted earlier this week, federal attorneys argued that Merchant never contacted law enforcement prior to his arrest. They also noted that during FBI interviews, he allegedly failed to mention the threats against his family that he now claims forced him into the scheme.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has flatly denied any involvement in plotting assassinations against American political figures.
The trial comes at a time of intense geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran. Relations have deteriorated dramatically following a recent U.S. and Israeli military operation targeting Iranian leadership that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As the trial continues, jurors will ultimately decide whether Merchant was a reluctant pawn caught in a dangerous international game or a willing participant in a deadly political conspiracy.
If convicted on the charges, the Pakistani businessman could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
