Farzad "Tony" Toutouni, an Iranian national, was arrested by federal authorities in Los Angeles on October 27. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents apprehended the 55-year-old, initiating removal proceedings against him. Toutouni is currently held in federal custody, according to ICE officials.
Authorities allege Toutouni had been ordered removed from the United States on two previous occasions. The first removal order was issued by an immigration judge in 1993. Despite this, federal authorities state Toutouni remained in the country. A second removal order was issued in 1999, after which he was reportedly deported to Mexico.
ICE records indicate Toutouni legally arrived in the United States in 1983. However, investigators allege that his history in the country also includes an extensive "crime spree" beginning in 1989. Toutouni was later arrested for various offenses, including criminal threats, criminal conspiracy, and possession and sale of a controlled substance. A court subsequently sentenced him to more than 16 months in prison. The charges leading to that sentence encompassed making or passing a fictitious check, grand theft, conspiracy, forgery, kidnapping, robbery, and extortion.
Officials report that Toutouni re-entered the United States on or about April 4, 2011. He allegedly made this crossing near Saint Clair, Michigan, using an electric raft purchased in Canada. This alleged re-entry occurred after his previous deportation.
Prior to his recent arrest, Toutouni maintained a significant public profile online, utilizing social media platforms to display a lavish lifestyle. Under the name "Tony Toutouni," he amassed an Instagram following exceeding one million people. His online presence showcased a residence in a $5 million Hollywood Hills mansion, images of large sums of cash, and depictions of parties.
His social media feed frequently featured prominent figures from various fields. Photos posted by Toutouni showed him with actor Wesley Snipes, singer Chris Brown, boxer Floyd Mayweather, and hockey star Alex Ovechkin. More recent posts included rapper Lil Pump, whom Toutouni thanked for performing at an event. An image from 2017 depicted him with rapper Wiz Khalifa and a group of friends. Further investigation by publications like the New York Post located additional photographs of Toutouni with artists such as Big Sean, Lil Dicky, and Bow Wow. In 2018, he was photographed on the ice with Ovechkin as the NHL player held the Stanley Cup, with Toutouni quipping in a caption, "Alex Ovechkin won a big cup for our liquor."
Toutouni's online presence also extended to figures in combat sports. In 2024, he met and posted a photo with influencer and professional boxer Ryan Garcia. He also posed with mixed martial arts legend Chuck Liddell. Businessman and social media personality Dan Bilzerian was featured in another post, which Toutouni captioned, "House shopping with Dan."
Recent posts on his social media accounts depicted Toutouni at events like Burning Man, showing him with women at a campsite featuring a custom RV and a psychedelically decorated trailer. One post from the previous year showed him on a private jet with three women, with stacks of $100 bills on a table in front of him. The caption read, "I live my life like it's my last day every day!" Another image displayed a shirtless, tattooed Toutouni in a high-rise apartment, with a naked woman over his shoulder as he ate. This was captioned, "No wife great wife."
ICE officials confirmed that removal proceedings against Farzad Toutouni have commenced following his October 27 arrest, bringing an end to his public online presence for the time being.
