Law firm for males charged with impersonating brokers suggests feds are latching on to ‘conspiracy theories’

Two Washington, D.C., men accused of posing as federal agents to ingratiate by themselves with Solution Company agents assigned to the White House are simply law enforcement buffs who pose no risk to anybody, their lawyers reported through a bail listening to Monday.

The govt has “jumped to the wildest conspiracy theories conceivable” with its allegations from Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali, defense legal professional Michelle Peterson told a federal judge.

Her feedback arrived in response to a court submitting last 7 days in which prosecutors warned that allowing Taherzadeh, 40, and Ali, 35, to be freed on bail pending demo could pose a “risk to countrywide security.”

Prosecutors reported the gentlemen, who are billed with impersonating Division of Homeland Safety agents, experienced firearms, ammunition, system armor, tactical equipment and surveillance devices in their flats in a making that is property to a range of brokers from other agencies.

In a filing arguing he ought to be launched to property confinement to his father’s dwelling in Virginia, Taherzadeh’s lawyers prompt he was all communicate, and that his promises of staying a federal agent had been “an embarrassing misrepresentation that received out of regulate.”

Just one defense legal professional observed in the filing that Taherzadeh voluntarily spoke with investigators right after his arrest, and as “he recommended law enforcement in his prolonged job interview, he experienced no intention of compromising any federal agent.”

“He acknowledged presents to brokers with whom he experienced a genuine friendship. He acted out of a motivation for friendship, not to influence anybody. He never ever asked for something from the officers he befriended, never ever gave them anything at all for the purpose of getting anything in response, and deeply regrets his involvement in this matter,” the submitting mentioned.

Prosecutors have claimed the FBI is investigating whether the pair was receiving income from overseas, nevertheless Taherzadeh’s law firm contends there was “no huge sum of cash associated.” The lawyer also noted that while Taherzadeh rented five apartments in the constructing, he never paid rent and owes the landlord more than $220,000. Taherzadeh also advised a different investigator his non-public detective organization was going out of company, according to courtroom filings.

Gregory Smith, an legal professional for Haider, suggested in a separate court submitting that his client may possibly have legitimately believed he was performing get the job done for the federal govt as element of his do the job for Taherzadeh’s organization, United States Special Law enforcement LLC.

Smith noted that Taherzadeh is accused of duping a lot of federal agents into earning them believe he was one particular of them.

“The Authorities alone has gone to great lengths in describing how many seasoned federal legislation enforcement brokers — people today it notes are formally properly trained to glance for and understand deceptions this kind of as this — yet fell for this ruse, with four U.S. Mystery Support agents even placed on administrative go away as a final result,” the filing says. “If all of those skilled federal agents, with their several years or even many years of working experience, did not see by Taherzadeh’s claims, why is it honest to count on more from Mr. Ali, a substantial faculty graduate with no college or university degree and none of their formalized training?”

Smith requested that his shopper, a married father of four youthful kids, be authorized to continue to be in home confinement.

Lawyers for equally men also pointed out that the costs in opposition to their shoppers carry a optimum jail sentence of 3 a long time and no minimum, which means they may well not see any jail time even if they are convicted.

In courtroom past week, prosecutor Joshua Rothstein said the criminal offense is a “major offense” and the pair pose “a critical danger.”

Investigators say the pair ended up “lavishing gifts” on Solution Services brokers, including permitting them continue to be in an condominium rent no cost.

Taherzadeh had many guns when he should not have had any because of prior domestic violence conviction, and investigators located illegal higher-capacity journals for their weapons when they searched their flats, prosecutors reported.

Taherzadeh’s law firm argued that the guns shouldn’t be a cause for trying to keep him detained since they are no for a longer time in his possession.

Prosecutors also highlighted Ali’s travels to Iran and Iraq in current a long time, and reported he allegedly instructed a witness in the scenario that he experienced ties to Pakistan’s intelligence agency.

Ali’s lawyer submitted letters to the judge from his family, stating that he frequented Iran and Iraq for religious uses and that he has no ties to Pakistani intelligence.

Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey questioned prosecutors to tackle irrespective of whether the pair can be held in house confinement Tuesday, and reported he’ll rule on the problem right after that.

Reuters contributed.