By Steve Neavling
Two men accused of impersonating federal agents and providing expensive gifts to Secret Service officers and agents for the past two years have been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Arian Taherzadeh, 36, and Haider Ali, 40, were charged with false impersonation of a federal officer and possessing a large-capacity ammunition device, Business Insider reports.
According to the indictment, the men possessed an illegal magazine for a Glock firearm, and Taherzadeh had five illegal magazines for a Sig Sauer firearm.
They live in a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where several Secret Service agents and other law enforcement officials also resided. They are free of jail on home confinement.
They are accused of falsely claiming they worked for Homeland Security and were on a special task force investigating gang and violence connected to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The pair allegedly posed as law enforcement in order to build a relationship with real agents.
Taherzadeh gave Secret Service officers and agents rent-free apartments, surveillance systems, a drone, a TV, iPhones, a generator, a gun case and other policing equipment, according to prosecutors. Taherzadeh is also accused of offering to buy a $2,000 assault rifle for a Secret Service agent assigned to protect the first lady.
Four Secret Service agents who associated with the pair have been placed on leave pending an investigation.
