The person at the center of this case
Two Maryland residents (identities protected)
Cold Case · Open
2 years waiting · since 2023
NAJI SHARIFI ZINDASHTI
Justice for Two Maryland residents (identities protected) — the trail went cold in 2023, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Where is Naji Sharifi Zindashti currently located—Iran, Turkey, Kurdistan, or elsewhere in the Greater Kurdistan Region?
👤
person
Lead #2Who are the members of Zindashti's Iran-based criminal network and what roles did they play in coordinating the murder-for-hire plot?
📞
contact
Lead #3What encrypted messaging applications and platforms were used to communicate between Zindashti and his North American criminal associates?
Naji Sharifi Zindashti, based in Iran, is wanted for allegedly orchestrating a murder-for-hire conspiracy targeting two Maryland residents who fled Iran, using encrypted messaging to coordinate with criminal associates in North America between December 2020 and March 2021. Federal charges were filed in December 2023 for conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The investigation seeks to locate Zindashti, who may be hiding in Iran, Turkey, Kurdistan, or the Greater Kurdistan Region, and to identify all members of his transnational criminal network.
Case
#780
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) / United States District Court, District of Minnesota
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
🔍
evidence
Lead #4What resources and financial transactions did the criminal network provide to facilitate the attempted transnational killing?
👁️
witness
Lead #5Who are the criminal elements within North America that were hired to carry out the murders, and what information can they provide about Zindashti's network?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy To Use Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire Caution: Naji Sharifi Zindashti is wanted for his alleged involvement in criminal activities including the attempted murder for hire of two residents of the state of Maryland. From at least December of 2020, and continuing until in or around March of 2021, Zindashti’s Iran-based criminal network associates allegedly used encrypted, Internet-based messaging applications to hire criminal elements within North America to murder two individuals who fled Iran.
Zindashti’s criminal network also allegedly provided resources to facilitate the attempted transnational killing of a person within the United States. On December 13, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Zindashti in the United States District Court, District of Minnesota, after he was charged with Conspiracy To Use Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire.
Remarks: Zindashti has ties to or may visit Iran, Turkey, Kurdistan or the Greater Kurdistan Region.
Timeline of Events
📞
2020-12-01
Conspiracy Period Begins
Zindashti's Iran-based criminal network begins using encrypted, Internet-based messaging applications to coordinate murder-for-hire activities
📞
2021-03-31
Conspiracy Period Ends
Criminal network activities continue until approximately March 2021
🕵️
2023-12-13
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota issues federal arrest warrant for Naji Sharifi Zindashti for Conspiracy To Use Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 1, 2020
Last Updated:October 30, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:December 1, 2020
Last Updated:October 30, 2026