Hotel COO Accused Of Identity Theft, Weapons Possession, Posing As Federal Agent

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of the COO of the posh Shore Hotel in Santa Monica.

Officials said Steve Farzam is accused of identity theft, weapons possession and impersonating a police officer.

Investigators raided Farzam's Brentwood home as well as the hotel.

They accused him of importing and trying to sell an assault weapon. Investigators also said he posed as a federal agent in an attempt to check up on people.

Farzam is free on bail after posting more than $800,000 bail, authorities said.

The 164-room Shore Hotel is located in the 1500 block of Ocean Boulevard between Broadway and Colorado Avenue. On its website, the hotel describes itself as a "sleek, eco-conscious boutique hotel" catering to guests "seeking a luxurious experience."

According to his LinkedIn profile, Farzam has been COO of the hotel since November 2010. And according to a profile on the Hotel Business Review, Farzam graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology from California State University, Northridge.

The profile said he also studied pre-hospital emergency medical care at Santa Barbara City College in 1998. He was given a Medal of Valor from the Burn Institute and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for helping to save the life of a person trapped in a burning vehicle.

When not working, his profile said "Mr Farzam enjoys flying fixed-wing aircraft, restoring his Squad 51 fire truck from the television show 'Emergency!' and volunteering as a tactical officer at Southern California's Building Unique Youth Alternatives, a nonprofit organization that works with at-risk youths."