Two men arrested after targeting Secret Service agents in influence operation

[essentialsaltes]

An affidavit filed with a US district court accused Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 36 of posing as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees.

FBI officials said the men had used the guise to get closer to four agents - one of whom served on first lady Jill Biden's protection detail.

The agents have been put on leave ahead of an investigation, officials said.

According to the affidavit filed on Wednesday by federal prosecutors, Mr Taherzadeh and Mr Ali spent thousands of dollars buying four Secret Service agents and one DHS official "rent-free apartments (with a total yearly rent of over $40,000 (£30.578) per apartment), iPhones, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat screen television, a case for storing an assault rifle, a generator, and law enforcement paraphernalia".

[A]n investigation into the pair was launched last month after an official from the US Postal Service responded to a report of an assault on a delivery worker.

Looks like we can thank our lucky stars these guys were jerks to a postal worker. Whatever their game was, it wasn't for our benefit.

 

[essentialsaltes]

One of two men accused of posing as federal law enforcement employees and ingratiating themselves with Secret Service agents had visas for travel to Iran and Pakistan, and told others that he had ties to Pakistan’s intelligence service, a federal prosecutor alleged Thursday.

“We have not verified the accuracy of his claims, but Mr. Ali made claims to witnesses he had ties to ISI, which is the Pakistani intelligence service,” Rothstein said.

The men are U.S. citizens, the prosecutor said.

Obviously he's a lying liar who lies, but maybe we'll find out who was behind this.

And once again, let's honor the Post Office. By all accounts, these guys were quite successful at what they were up to without tipping off their marks.

Taherzadeh, 40, and Ali, 35, were charged in what prosecutors described as a ruse that started in February 2020 and ended only after a postal inspector came across the pair in an unrelated case.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Who Tipped Off Fake Feds Accused of Duping Secret Service?

Graves said more victims have come forward since last week too, including a Naval Intelligence Officer to whom Taherzadeh allegedly claimed to be a Homeland Security Investigations agent. “The Intelligence Officer was so alarmed and concerned about Taherzadeh’s attempt to gather information that he reported the contact to the Naval Criminal Investigative Services,” the filing says.

More troubling, the pair appear to have been tipped off to the FBI’s impending raid and arrest, and tried to ditch some potentially incriminating items via a Secret Service agent assigned to protect the White House, prosecutors said.

 

[Pommer]

Who Tipped Off Fake Feds Accused of Duping Secret Service?

Graves said more victims have come forward since last week too, including a Naval Intelligence Officer to whom Taherzadeh allegedly claimed to be a Homeland Security Investigations agent. “The Intelligence Officer was so alarmed and concerned about Taherzadeh’s attempt to gather information that he reported the contact to the Naval Criminal Investigative Services,” the filing says.

More troubling, the pair appear to have been tipped off to the FBI’s impending raid and arrest, and tried to ditch some potentially incriminating items via a Secret Service agent assigned to protect the White House, prosecutors said.

Wild, but the article goes on:

The package contained three empty cases for Sig Sauer and Glock firearms that have not been found, a high-capacity magazine, and four expensive cigars.

(emphasis mine)

Thorough reporting, well done that woman!

 

[essentialsaltes]

They've been granted bail, but the judge "ordered both men to remain in home confinement, subject to GPS monitoring, with their parents and that they surrender their passports and stay away from airports and embassies. Harvey agreed to stay his order until Wednesday morning while the government mulls whether to appeal."

 

[Bradskii]

They've been granted bail, but the judge "ordered both men to remain in home confinement, subject to GPS monitoring, with their parents and that they surrender their passports and stay away from airports and embassies. Harvey agreed to stay his order until Wednesday morning while the government mulls whether to appeal."

'...remain in home confinement, subject to GPS monitoring, with their parents...'

Sounds like they've been grounded. Off to your bedroom, young man!

 

[essentialsaltes]

Both have now pleaded guilty. Money appears to be the only motive.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/05/haider-ali-guilty-plea-fraud/

A second man pleaded guilty Wednesday to posing as a member of federal law enforcement while he cozied up to neighbors who worked for the Secret Service and didn’t pay rent in a luxury apartment complex in D.C.

Haider Ali, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy, bank fraud and unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. His defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence between 63 and 78 months.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly left Ali on home incarceration until his sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 24.

Taherzadeh ... pleaded guilty to conspiracy, unlawful possession and voyeurism charges in August

 

[Ana the Ist]

They've been granted bail, but the judge "ordered both men to remain in home confinement, subject to GPS monitoring, with their parents and that they surrender their passports and stay away from airports and embassies. Harvey agreed to stay his order until Wednesday morning while the government mulls whether to appeal."

They've been granted bail?

How bad do these situations have to go before the left admits it's idea of bail reform was a mistake?