Two Men Accused Of Impersonating Homeland Security Officers For Two Years

The FBI arrested two men accused of posing as federal agents in Washington, D.C., for the past two years. Prosecutors said that Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali used the ruse to get close to Secret Service agents, including one who was working on the detail of First Lady Jill Biden.

The two men allegedly gave them gifts, including "rent-free apartments (with a total yearly rent of over $40,000 per apartment), iPhones, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat-screen television, a case for storing an assault rifle, a generator, and law enforcement paraphernalia."

Officials did not say what the men hoped to gain from their relationships with the Secret Service agents.

As a result of the investigation, four Secret Services agents were placed on administrative leave.

"The Secret Service has worked, and continues to work, with its law enforcement partners on this ongoing investigation. All personnel involved in this matter are on administrative leave and are restricted from accessing Secret Service facilities, equipment, and systems. The Secret Service adheres to the highest levels of professional standards and conduct and will remain in active coordination with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security," the Secret Service said in a statement to CNN.

The men were busted due to an unrelated investigation of an assault of a mail carrier at the building they lived in. Investigators spoke to several residents who claimed the men boasted about working for the Department of Homeland Security. The men told investigators they were "special police" tasked with probing the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The investigator didn't buy their story and contacted the DHS Office of Inspector General, which then alerted the FBI.