Two D.C. Men Busted For Posing As Homeland Security Agents, Bribing Secret Service Agents

Two men are behind bars for impersonating Department of Homeland Security agents for two years.

Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali were able to convince real government officials, including Secret Service Agents who were in charge of guarding First Lady Jill Biden. Authorities believe the men began to infiltrate U.S. law enforcement and the defense community back in February 2020. The two men spent the past two years working on gang-related investigations and other high-level jobs for Homeland Security. They sported official IDs and laptops and carried the same Glocks issued to federal officers. The men even traveled in black SUVs, similar to those used by federal government officials.

Their scheme took an interesting turn when they got several Secret Service agents to accept free apartments from them at the Crossing Apartments, which was popular among federal employees because they received discounted rent. Police raided their apartment on Wednesday, where they located a mountain of evidence against the pair. The duo occupied several units in the complex and were known as “go-to guys,” providing other goods such as iPhones, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat-screen television, a case for storing an assault rifle, a generator, and law enforcement paraphernalia. The men also had the complex under heavy surveillance, maintaining lists of every resident in the building.

Their elaborate scheme unraveled when a postal worker was assaulted while delivering mail to the Crossings on March 14th. Residents told a USPS Inspector that Taherzadeh and Ali had witnessed the attack. During an interview with the inspector, both men claimed to work for a special police force within the Department of Homeland Security that didn’t exist. The inspector escalated the tale to the DHS inspector general, who then got the FBI involved.

While the affidavit did not mention the men’s motive, Ali previously boasted to two witnesses that he had ties to Pakistan’s main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence. His passports also contained old Pakistani and Iranian visas. However, his claims have not yet been verified.

Four Secret Service agents are on administrative leave as the investigation into their involvement continues. Ali and Taherzadeh have been charged with false impersonation of a federal officer. Conspiracy charges are expected.

According to Charging Docs: Since Feb 2020 — Taherzadeh and Ali used their “false and fraudulent affiliation” with DHS to ingratiate themselves with members of federal law enforcement and defense. @wusa pic.twitter.com/2erzV76InI

— Lorenzo Hall (@LorenzoHall) April 7, 2022

Residents in apt building told fed investigators that Taherzadeh and Ali said they:
•had surveillance set up throughout complex and gained access to bldg system
•can access cell phone and personal info of residents
•sent pictures to residents of police gear in apt. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/IUFZGnjuo0

— Lorenzo Hall (@LorenzoHall) April 7, 2022