Men accused of impersonating federal agents had ‘tools to manufacture identities’: court documents

The two men accused of impersonating federal agents in the nation's capital had 'tools to manufacture identities' and possessed surveillance equipment, according to court documents released Friday.

WASHINGTON - The two men accused of impersonating federal agents in the nation's capital had 'tools to manufacture identities' and possessed surveillance equipment, according to court documents released Friday.

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The U.S. States Attorney's Office of D.C. is calling for the men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, to remain in custody until their trail, reports FOX 5's Melanie Alnwick.

Alnwick says court papers say Taherzadeh and Ali allegedly pretended to be with the Department of Homeland Security. Court documents say they should remain detained pending trial because they "pose a danger to the community" based on their use and possession of firearms and pose a serious "risk of fight."

Alnwick / Ramirez / Twitter

The two are accused of operating out of the Crossing, a luxury Southeast D.C. apartment building, where investigators say they allowed a Secret Service agent to stay rent-free in a penthouse unit worth over $40,000, reported FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez.

Ramirez says the two have been accused of gifting federal officers items in order to get close to them. Four Secret Service agents are now also being investigated, including a member of First Lady Jill Biden's detail.

In court on Thursday, the federal prosecutor said they found Ali, in possession of older Pakistani and Iranian visas. Prosecutors said Ali visited Doha, Qatar multiple times. They also claim he allegedly told at least a couple of witnesses he has ties to the Pakistani Intelligence Service.

The latest on the men accused of impersonating federal agents

Residents at the Crossing apartment building in D.C. tell us they’re concerned after building management may have given the suspects the private information they used to lease their apartments.

FOX 5 DC has learned a lot of federal officers live in this building. Court documents say the two suspects gifted items to integrate themselves with federal agents, telling residents they were with a special unit that investigated gangs and the Jan. 6th insurrection.

After the FBI searched five residences and three vehicles, prosecutors said they found all kinds of law enforcement gear like body armor, ammunition, gas masks, zip ties, DHS patches for clothing, a loaded lock, and even a binder containing a list of every resident in the building.