In a recent dramatic turn of events, a Los Angeles renter found himself amidst a high-profile arrest when federal agents detained his landlord, the niece of notorious Iranian figure Gen. Qasem Soleimani. The tenant, Halasius Bradford, was left astounded as he realized the mother-daughter duo had been under the watchful eye of immigration authorities long before the arrest took place at their quiet residence in Tujunga.
The individuals in question, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, aged 47, and her 25-year-old daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on a Friday afternoon. Their arrest marked the revocation of their green cards due to alleged connections with the Iranian regime.
According to the State Department, Afshar had publicly expressed support for Iran’s Supreme Leader, celebrated attacks on U.S. military forces, and endorsed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an entity labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Furthermore, she had reportedly referred to the United States as the “Great Satan.”
Bradford, a piano instructor aged 50, rents a single-story home owned by Afshar. He recounted witnessing the commotion during the arrest, describing a scene filled with ICE and LAPD vehicles. He noted that ICE had been visibly active in the area leading up to the operation.
Returning to his residence during the raid, Bradford encountered a street cordoned off by law enforcement. “It was quite a sight,” he shared with the media, describing the presence of at least three LAPD patrol cars and a couple of ICE vehicles on the scene.
“It was crazy seeing what happened. I saw three LAPD patrol cars and one or two from ICE,” he told the Post.
“I didn’t see the women being taken away.”
The Post’s visit to the home on Saturday revealed Afshar was living in a small ADU behind the main two-bedroom, two-bathroom home Bradford rents. She had bought the Plainview Avenue property for $505,000 in 2021.
Photos from the scene offer a glimpse into the women’s carefully curated Los Angeles lifestyle.
Inside her humble home, about 20 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, was a selfie ring light and a full-form mannequin for her to hang her designer label outfits.
She also drove a black Tesla, which on Saturday was stuffed with luxury goods, including a Miss Dior bag, some Hermes cushions, a Sephora makeup bag, and another gray leather handbag in the front passenger footwell.
Some items inside the car bore Arabic writing, while a few parking tickets were also scattered inside.
Friday marked the first time Bradford had met Hosseiny in person.
He said both women were at the property for a scheduled City of Los Angeles inspection of the ADU, which explains why they were there when ICE arrived.
Bradford added that Hosseiny’s boyfriend was also present during the raid. He told Bradford that he and Hosseiny were driving outside the house when ICE intercepted them, demanding to know where Afshar was.
Bradford said while Afshar lived in the ADU behind the main house, Hosseiny managed lease affairs remotely.
He described Afshar as ”crazy” and acting strangely.
“It was the first time I met Hosseiny,” he said. “The mother seemed kinda nuts. She said she’d been having chemo for cancer.”
Outside the main house, old mattresses and furniture from previous tenants were visible.
Bradford said the home was listed for rent on Zillow, and he signed the lease online with Hosseiny because her mother, Afshar, did not speak English well.
He moved in on March 21 and declined to say how much he pays.
The mother and daughter both created curated online personas showcasing glamorous LA lifestyles, complete with designer goods and jetsetting activities.
Hosseiny appeared poised and camera-ready in Instagram images, her long dark hair framing a composed face as she cradled a small fluffy dog against a dark coat.
Her wardrobe ranged from structured black corsets paired with delicate pink skirts and oversized sunglasses to casual yet meticulously styled ensembles.
Other luxury symbols included posed photos beside helicopters and designer accessories, projecting a jet-set, influencer-ready image far removed from their modest suburban neighborhood.
Afshar entered the US on a tourist visa in 2015, gained asylum in 2019, and became a green card holder in 2021.
Her daughter arrived in 2021 on a student visa and secured her green card in 2023.
Both had traveled back to Iran multiple times, raising red flags with US authorities.
Lauren Bis, a DHS spokesperson, emphasized the seriousness of the revocation. “It is a privilege to be granted a green card to live in the United States of America. If we have reason to believe a green card holder poses a threat to the US, the green card will be revoked.”
The arrest of Afshar and Hosseiny follows similar moves against other Iranian regime-linked figures in the US, highlighting continued vigilance against threats tied to Qasem Soleimani and his network.
