A Birmingham man has been handed a life sentence after a meticulous investigation by West Midlands Police uncovered his chilling plot to have his American ex-wife murdered in Wisconsin.
Navid Rashid, 46, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after being found guilty of conspiring to murder his former spouse. The court heard how Rashid, operating from his home in the UK, attempted to orchestrate the international killing by contacting a hitman in the United States.
The investigation began in February 2023 when West Midlands Police received a crucial tip-off from the FBI regarding a murder-for-hire plot. Detectives from the force’s Complex Crime Unit launched an immediate probe, uncovering a web of sinister communications.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Rashid had offered a substantial sum of money to a hitman – who was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent – to carry out the killing. He provided the operative with detailed instructions, including his ex-wife's home address and daily routines.
Detective Inspector James Byrne of West Midlands Police praised the transatlantic collaboration: "This was a complex and disturbing case. Rashid believed he could conspire from Birmingham to commit a murder in the USA with no consequences. The excellent work with our international partners at the FBI ensured he was brought to justice."
Rashid was arrested at his Birmingham address in May 2023. Following a trial, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
Judge Melbourne Inman KC, sentencing, described the plot as "a premeditated, calculated, and wicked plan" and imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years. This case stands as a stark warning that UK law enforcement can and will reach those who plot serious crimes from British soil, regardless of where the intended target is located.
