MAN ARRESTED FOR PLOTTING WITH OTHERS TO MURDER OR KIDNAP TWO VICTIMS ABROAD AND RELATED TERRORISM OFFENSES

Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence & Espionage Division, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, announced today that DENIS ALIMOV, a/k/a "Denis Nazarovich Alimov," a/k/a "Denis N Alimov," a/k/a "Denis Nevsky," a/k/a "Dionis Nevsky," a/k/a "Denis Klimenkov," a/k/a "Denis Nazarovich Klimenkov," was arrested on February 24, 2026 in Bogotá, Colombia, based on an Interpol Red Notice related to charges filed in Superseding Indictment S2 25 Cr. 122 (JPC) in the Southern District of New York. The Superseding Indictment charges ALIMOV with participating in an alleged plot to murder or kidnap two well-known dissidents abroad, as well as related terrorism offenses. U.S. authorities plan to seek the extradition of ALIMOV from Colombia. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.

"As alleged, Denis Alimov and his co-conspirators tried to murder or kidnap two well-known dissidents, with Alimov offering a co-conspirator $1.5 million for each victim," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "This chilling attempt shows not only the lengths malign actors will go to silence critics, but also, the resolve, expertise, and ability of American law enforcement and our partners abroad to disrupt those plots and bring those responsible to justice."

"Alimov has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a plot to locate, kidnap, and murder political dissidents who dared to speak out against their authoritarian regime," said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence & Espionage Division. "Transnational repression poses a serious and growing threat to individual rights and freedoms, and the FBI is committed to investigating all plots involving U.S.-based criminal actors or victims. Today's announcement makes clear that combating this threat is among our highest priorities, and we will work with our partners at home and abroad to find and hold accountable those who use threats and violence to silence dissent."

"Denis Alimov allegedly plotted with others to kidnap or murder two foreign dissidents and offered a co-conspirator a bounty for his help carrying out that plot," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle. "The FBI will continue to prevent hired guns from prowling the globe to carry out the nefarious agenda of others, no matter where they are."

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today and Indictment 25 Cr. 122 (JPC):[1]

An investigation by the FBI revealed that from at least in or about October 2024 through in or about March 2025, ALIMOV orchestrated a plot, with others, to kidnap or murder two well-known dissidents residing abroad (collectively, the "Targets") from a republic in a particular foreign country. The Targets have previously been the subject of multiple reprisal and assassination attempts. In furtherance of the plot, in or about October 2024, ALIMOV met with an alleged co-conspirator, Darko Durovic,[2] at a restaurant near the headquarters of a particular foreign country's internal security and counterintelligence service. During that meeting, ALIMOV paid Durovic approximately $60,000 to finance the plot. ALIMOV also agreed to pay Durovic approximately $1.5 million in exchange for murdering or kidnapping each of the Targets.

Following their meeting in or about October 2024, ALIMOV repeatedly communicated with Durovic regarding the planning and status of the plot, including providing Durovic with IP address and phone number information for one of the Targets. Durovic, among other things, researched Glock handguns while planning travel to a European country to find one of the Targets; traveled to a second European country to locate another of the Targets; and recruited another co-conspirator to participate in the plot, who discussed with Durovic the need to "finance a hunting team" to find the Targets.

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ALIMOV, 42, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping in a foreign country, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of provision and attempted provision of material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to finance terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of financing of terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The potential maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI New York Counterintelligence Office, the FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, and the FBI International Operations Division. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice's National Security Division, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division, the Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, our partners at the United States Embassy to Colombia, and our law enforcement partners in Colombia, for their assistance.

This case is being handled by the Office's National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Kaylan E. Lasky are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the Counterterrorism Section.

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