The two allegedly acquired assault rifles, pistols and assault rifles used by federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI claims that they used their false connections with the US government “to flatter members of the federal law enforcement and defense community”. Pretending to be a member of the Department of Homeland Security, Taherzadeh provided members of the U.S. Secret Service and a DHS employee with rented apartments, “iPhone, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat-screen TV, a case for storing a weapon. , a generator and law enforcement tools “, wrote in an affidavit the FBI special agent David Elias. In one case, Taherzadeh allegedly offered to buy a gun for a Secret Service agent assigned to the first lady’s protective detail. Four intelligence agents have been placed on administrative leave amid ongoing investigations. The two were discovered March 14 when the U.S. Postal Inspector responded to a DC apartment building for a report of an attack on a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier. Taherzadeh and Ali told authorities they were members of a DHS police force and were involved in covert gang-related investigations, as well as investigations into last year’s US Capitol Uprising. Other residents of the building said the two – who had several apartments in the building that they said were “paid for by DHS” – had access to surveillance cameras, mobile phones and other personal information of the residents. Authorities later learned that many of the occupants of the buildings were in the FBI, the Secret Service and the DHS. Others were members of the US Department of Defense and Navy. A man who lived in the building and did not work for federal law enforcement, identified in the affidavit as “Witness 1,” told Elias that Taherzadeh had a hidden firearm, had a “case” in the DHS investigation ( HSI) marked “confidential”. and presented the witness with a mark and other credentials to prove that he was law enforcement. According to the affidavit, Taherzadeh told Witness 1 that as part of the “HSI recruitment process” he would shoot the witness with an air rifle to assess their “reaction and tolerance of pain”. The witness agreed and Taherzadeh shot them. Ali was present on set. In July 2021, Taherzadeh and Ali met “Witness 2”, a Secret Service agent, according to the FBI. Taherzadeh told the agent about his work with the HSI and sent the agent several photos of him with “regular police equipment” and HSI training, the last of which turned out to be a stock image found on the Internet, the FBI said. . . Taherzadeh also lent the agent’s wife what he claimed was a “government vehicle”, offered to buy the agent a gun and gave the agent a gun. Ellias claims that the agent still has the owner. The agent, who lived in the same building, confirmed that Taherzadeh had access to the building’s security cameras and was holding a firearm, the FBI said. Another Secret Service agent, identified as “Witness 3”, lived in a penthouse in the apartment building provided by Taherzadeh without rent from February 2021 to January 2022. The agent said he received emails from what he thought that it was Taherzadeh’s email to DHS, but investigators found it to be a fake account. “Witness 4” specializes in document analysis with DHS-HSI and also lived in the same building. Witness 4 spoke to her superiors, but could not confirm that Taherzadeh worked for DHS, which Taherzadeh explained to her as secret, according to the FBI. Witness 4 told the FBI he saw “a significant amount of law enforcement tools, including SWAT vests, a large safe, computers, a high-power telescope and internal surveillance cameras in his apartment.” The fourth U.S. intelligence agent in the affidavit, identified as “Witness 5,” was tasked with protecting the White House. The agent lived in an apartment, which was again rented by Taherzadeh, without rent from February 2021 to January 2022, after Taherzadeh allegedly told Witness 5 that “HSI had approved additional rooms as part of his work “, Which according to officials was not true. The agent said they had previously seen police responding to the apartment building over a complaint about Taherzadeh wearing police equipment. No action was taken, according to Witness 5. Taherzadeh showed the agent a computer with “DHS information”, an HSI signal, special police credentials, a DHS / HSI ballistic vest and firearms. Witness 5 also saw Taherzadeh fire a shotgun at a gunshot wound, and Agent personally shot one of Taherzadeh’s AR-15 rifles in the area. The agent also reported that Taherzadeh had two black SUVs and a Chevy Impala with police lights. Taherzadeh gave the agent a drone, a gun case and a Pelican holster, according to the FBI. Witness 5 claimed that Taherzadeh had access to all floors of the apartment and to some restricted areas and believes that Taherzadeh used his fake credentials to gain access to such areas from the address of the building. Taherzadeh told Witness 5 that Ali “took care of all administrative matters with Taherzadeh’s task force HSI”. The affidavit did not specify what the ultimate goal of the two men might have been. In a statement to CBS News, the US Secret Service said it had “cooperated and continues to work with law enforcement partners in this ongoing investigation”. “All staff involved in this matter are on administrative leave and do not have access to Secret Service facilities, equipment and systems,” he said. “The Secret Service adheres to the highest levels of professional standards and conduct and will remain in active coordination with the Ministries of Justice and Homeland Security.”

Sophie Redon

Sophie Reardon is a news editor at CBS News. Contact her at [email protected]

title: “Two Men Allegedly Impersonated Federal Agents To Get Access To Secret Service " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Ruth Rivera”

The two allegedly acquired assault rifles, pistols and assault rifles used by federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI claims that they used their false connections with the US government “to flatter members of the federal law enforcement and defense community”. Pretending to be a member of the Department of Homeland Security, Taherzadeh provided members of the U.S. Secret Service and a DHS employee with rented apartments, “iPhone, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat-screen TV, a case for storing a weapon. , a generator and law enforcement tools “, wrote in an affidavit the FBI special agent David Elias. In one case, Taherzadeh allegedly offered to buy a gun for a Secret Service agent assigned to the first lady’s protective detail. Four intelligence agents have been placed on administrative leave amid ongoing investigations. The two were discovered March 14 when the U.S. Postal Inspector responded to a DC apartment building for a report of an attack on a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier. Taherzadeh and Ali told authorities they were members of a DHS police force and were involved in covert gang-related investigations, as well as investigations into last year’s US Capitol Uprising. Other residents of the building said the two – who had several apartments in the building that they said were “paid for by DHS” – had access to surveillance cameras, mobile phones and other personal information of the residents. Authorities later learned that many of the occupants of the buildings were in the FBI, the Secret Service and the DHS. Others were members of the US Department of Defense and Navy. A man who lived in the building and did not work for federal law enforcement, identified in the affidavit as “Witness 1,” told Elias that Taherzadeh had a hidden firearm, had a “case” in the DHS investigation ( HSI) marked “confidential”. and presented the witness with a mark and other credentials to prove that he was law enforcement. According to the affidavit, Taherzadeh told Witness 1 that as part of the “HSI recruitment process” he would shoot the witness with an air rifle to assess their “reaction and tolerance of pain”. The witness agreed and Taherzadeh shot them. Ali was present on set. In July 2021, Taherzadeh and Ali met “Witness 2”, a Secret Service agent, according to the FBI. Taherzadeh told the agent about his work with the HSI and sent the agent several photos of him with “regular police equipment” and HSI training, the last of which turned out to be a stock image found on the Internet, the FBI said. . . Taherzadeh also lent the agent’s wife what he claimed was a “government vehicle”, offered to buy the agent a gun and gave the agent a gun. Ellias claims that the agent still has the owner. An FBI affidavit filed in federal court includes photos that Arian Taherzadeh witnessed in the case, showing Taherzadeh with police equipment in his apartment, including cases often used to carry firearms. US Department of Justice The agent, who lived in the same building, confirmed that Taherzadeh had access to the building’s security cameras and was holding a firearm, the FBI said. Another Secret Service agent, identified as “Witness 3”, lived in a penthouse in the apartment building provided by Taherzadeh without rent from February 2021 to January 2022. The agent said he received emails from what he thought that it was Taherzadeh’s email to DHS, but investigators found it to be a fake account. “Witness 4” specializes in document analysis with DHS-HSI and also lived in the same building. Witness 4 spoke to her superiors, but could not confirm that Taherzadeh worked for DHS, which Taherzadeh explained to her as secret, according to the FBI. Witness 4 told the FBI he saw “a significant amount of law enforcement tools, including SWAT vests, a large safe, computers, a high-power telescope and internal surveillance cameras in his apartment.” The fourth U.S. intelligence agent in the affidavit, identified as “Witness 5,” was tasked with protecting the White House. The agent lived in an apartment, which was again rented by Taherzadeh, without rent from February 2021 to January 2022, after Taherzadeh allegedly told Witness 5 that “HSI had approved additional rooms as part of his work “, Which according to officials was not true. The agent said they had previously seen police responding to the apartment building over a complaint about Taherzadeh wearing police equipment. No action was taken, according to Witness 5. Taherzadeh showed the agent a computer with “DHS information”, an HSI signal, special police credentials, a DHS / HSI ballistic vest and firearms. Witness 5 also saw Taherzadeh fire a shotgun at a gunshot wound, and Agent personally shot one of Taherzadeh’s AR-15 rifles in the area. The agent also reported that Taherzadeh had two black SUVs and a Chevy Impala with police lights. Taherzadeh gave the agent a drone, a gun case and a Pelican holster, according to the FBI. Witness 5 claimed that Taherzadeh had access to all floors of the apartment and to some restricted areas and believes that Taherzadeh used his fake credentials to gain access to such areas from the address of the building. Taherzadeh told Witness 5 that Ali “took care of all administrative matters with Taherzadeh’s task force HSI”. The affidavit did not specify what the ultimate goal of the two men might have been. In a statement to CBS News, the US Secret Service said it had “cooperated and continues to work with law enforcement partners in this ongoing investigation”. “All staff involved in this matter are on administrative leave and do not have access to Secret Service facilities, equipment and systems,” he said. “The Secret Service adheres to the highest levels of professional standards and conduct and will remain in active coordination with the Ministries of Justice and Homeland Security.”

Sophie Redon

Sophie Reardon is a news editor at CBS News. Contact her at [email protected]