The two men arrested in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday who attempted to cozy up to Secret Service agents could face conspiracy charges after spending their year-and-a-half living in a luxury apartment building allegedly posing as federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security.
Just a mile from the Capitol and three miles from the White House, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Sher-Ali, 36, were conducting an operation where they posed as agents with Homeland Security Investigations – tricking a luxury DC apartment building and its high profile residents as well as appearing to convince Metro Police Department that they were working for the government.
The question remains, however, on what Ali and Taherzadeh’s motives were in getting close to people with White House access by impersonating government agents and who was funding their lavish lifestyle and slew of gifts.
Taherzadeh and Ali are said in the affidavit to have successfully ingratiated themselves with Secret Service agents, at least two of whom were reportedly given rent-free in penthouse and multiple-bedroom luxury apartments as well as high-end electronics and policing equipment.
The free rent in several units – valued at a minimum of $40,000 per year for just one of the penthouse apartments – was apparently not paid for at all.
A former representative of Crossing DC who worked at the building since the start of Taherzadeh’s lease confirmed that none of the units were being paid for at any time. When asked why they were not paying rent on the units, the individual responded with one word: ‘Government’.