Prosecutors investigating how a pair of men accused of impersonating federal agents managed to worm their way into Washington, DC’s elite security establishment have asked a judge to have them detained in custody as their investigation continues.
“They are not law enforcement agents, and they are not involved in sanctioned covert activities,” a motion filed Friday and obtained by the Daily Mail said.
“Neither Defendant is even employed by the United States government. But their impersonation scheme was sufficiently realistic to convince other government employees, including law enforcement agencies, of their false identities,” the document added.
Ali, who prosecutors say appears to have connections to Pakistani intelligence, and his colleague Taherzadeh gained the trust of Secret Service agents assigned to protect First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris by spending months lavishing them with gifts and partying with them in exotic food and booze-filled gatherings.
At least one of the agents assigned to guard Harris’ residence lived for free at a $40,000-a-year luxury apartment in downtown DC. The con artists reportedly duped the owner of the 800 unit complex – Tishman Speyer, out of paying for units on multiple floors by convincing them that they were ‘Government.’ The duo even had access to the building’s surveillance cameras, codes to all doors and information on tenants.
One of the agents getting free rent was on the presidential protection detail, and has traveled with Joe Biden aboard Air Force One regularly, according to the outlet's sources.
In an interview with law enforcement, Taherzadeh insisted that Ali was the one funding the whole thing, and claimed that he didn’t know the source of the cash.
Taherzadeh’s swanky residence was raided on Wednesday, with law enforcement discovering multiple copies of driver’s licenses, passports, United States Special Police – Special Investigations Unit business cards, a USSP badge and other documents.
Officers also discovered body armour, Velcro badges to go along with them including ‘Police’, ‘USSP’ and ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ logos, plus handguns, a fully automatic M4-style assault rifle, and an airsoft gun.
Ali’s apartment contained an expired passport, including visas allowing him to travel to and from countries in the Middle East and West Asia including Pakistan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Iran.
The detained men face the charge of conspiracy, a crime which would land them up to five years behind bars if convicted. Investigators have not publicized the possible motives behind the pair’s infiltration scheme, with the probe said to be ongoing.