WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say one of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence.
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday.
The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein says Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran.
Prosecutors allege Taherzadeh and Ali had falsely claimed to work for the Department of Homeland Security.
Four Secret Service employees were reportedly placed on leave earlier as part of the investigation.
It's unclear what Taherzadeh and Ali were ultimately trying to accomplish.
