2 Men Allegedly Posed as DHS Agents and Shipped Evidence Out of Their Apartment to Conceal Crimes
The two men arrested for posing as Department of Homeland Security agents attempted to ship evidence out of their apartment and enlist the help of a federal law enforcement agent after being tipped off to an investigation, according to a memo laying out additional evidence that prosecutors believe warrants detention without bail.
Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 36, were taken into custody Wednesday. The men are being charged with impersonating DHS law enforcement agents in Washington, D.C. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said additional charges of conspiracy could be lodged against the men.
The latest filing said Taherzadeh applied to be an armed special police officer, or SPO, and was denied in March 2019, due to his prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. Taherzadeh later was permitted to obtain a commission as an unarmed SPO, but that expired when he did not provide documents in support of relicensing in December 2021.
