American Lawyer Who Converted to Islam Revealed as Ex-Wife of Trump Assassination Plot Mastermind

The ex-wife of Farhad Shakeri, the alleged mastermind behind a chilling plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump, is an accomplished American lawyer who converted to Islam to support her then-husband, according to an exclusive report from the Daily Mail.

Gabriele Burner, 49, was married to Shakeri, 51, the accused ringleader of a now-foiled assassination scheme purportedly orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The plot allegedly involved three hitmen hired to target Trump as an act of revenge for the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani.

The couple, who have five children together, lived in New York until Shakeri’s conviction in 1994 for armed robbery and kidnapping. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison but served 14 before being deported to Afghanistan.

A Life Torn Between Loyalty and Betrayal

Burner, a white woman from New York, converted to Islam during her marriage and supported Shakeri through his imprisonment and deportation. She relocated with their children first to Afghanistan and then to Dubai, where she worked as a legal consultant. However, according to sources quoted by the Daily Mail, Shakeri’s behavior ultimately drove her to leave him in 2015 and return to the United States with her children.

“She really gave her entire life to him,” one insider said. “She moved halfway around the world, learned the language, and embraced his culture, only for him to treat her appallingly.”

Even Shakeri’s younger brother reportedly lost respect for him, appalled by his treatment of Burner.

Burner subsequently rebranded her legal practice in Port Jefferson, Long Island, reverting to her maiden name and focusing on rebuilding her life in the United States.

Shakeri’s Criminal Past and Dark Allegations

Shakeri’s criminal record dates back to 1994, when he and his associates robbed a gun store in New York. The group reportedly held the store clerk at gunpoint, debated killing him, but ultimately abandoned him 60 miles from the store, threatening his family if he spoke to authorities. Shakeri’s plea deal resulted in a 21-year prison sentence, followed by deportation.

Despite his incarceration, Shakeri allegedly became entangled in more sinister activities abroad. In 2019, he was arrested in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for heroin trafficking. More recently, Shakeri confessed in five separate FBI phone calls to organizing an assassination plot targeting Trump and other prominent figures, including Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad and two Jewish businessmen in the U.S.

Details of the Assassination Plot

According to unsealed Department of Justice documents, Shakeri admitted to working with a senior IRGC official referred to as Majid Soleimani, though Shakeri claimed no knowledge of any connection to the late Qassem Soleimani. The plot evolved from targeting Iranian dissidents in the U.S. to focusing exclusively on Trump around October 7, the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Shakeri allegedly recruited former prison associates Carlisle “Pop” Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, paying them $1,000 to surveil Alinejad at a Connecticut speaking event. Text messages and photos revealed detailed plans and a cache of weapons intended for the attacks.

The IRGC reportedly offered $500,000 for the assassination of two Jewish businessmen and a large sum for Trump’s death. Shakeri confessed to his role in these plots during FBI interviews but remains at large in Tehran, shielded by Iran’s lack of an extradition agreement with the U.S.

Trump and the Ongoing Threat

Trump, who survived two previous assassination attempts, acknowledged the threat in a statement on his Truth Social platform:

“Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire U.S. military is watching and waiting. Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran.”

Rivera and Loadholt are currently in U.S. custody and face trial in New York. Meanwhile, the FBI continues to investigate Shakeri’s network and motivations.

U.S. and Iran Tensions

The Daily Mail’s revelations about Gabriele Burner, ex-wife of Farhad Shakeri, expose the profound personal toll of a life entwined with Islam and international betrayal. While Burner has successfully rebuilt her life and reclaimed her identity, Shakeri remains a fugitive in Tehran, embodying the relentless and deep-rooted tensions between the United States and Iran.