Former Bail Agent Convicted on 17 Felony Counts Including Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, and Extortion
Above: Stock Image
Former bail agent Rehan Nazir, 51, has reportedly been found guilty on 17 felony counts, including kidnapping, extortion, burglary, false imprisonment, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and grand theft. The verdict was reached after a jury trial held in Los Angeles on Friday, May 19.
According to a news release by the California Department of Insurance, an extensive investigation conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff Major Crimes Bureau and the California Department of Insurance revealed that Nazir had apprehended bail clients before their scheduled court appearances, and would then coerce them into paying him money or surrendering property under the threat of returning them to jail. These findings led to the charges brought against Nazir.
Prior to this case, Nazir had been terminated by the Torrance Police Department due to the submission of false information in a report. It was determined by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office that Nazir had failed to document the use of a confidential informant, leading to his dismissal.
Operating as a licensed bail agent, Nazir employed a team of fugitive recovery individuals, commonly referred to as bounty hunters, to aid him in locating and apprehending individuals whom he had previously bonded out of jail. The investigation uncovered instances where entry was forcibly made into private residences, and multiple individuals were detained at gunpoint in search of a person previously bailed out by Nazir.
Reportedly, Nazir would demand money from the detainees and threatened to return them to jail if his demands were not met. Handcuffing the individuals, they were then transported to his bail office in Torrance, while friends or family members were escorted to ATM machines by the fugitive recovery team.
Nazir also exploited his past experience as a police officer to deceive local law enforcement, falsely asserting authority to repossess vehicles owned by those he had bailed out. This occurred even when no collateral agreement had been established, and the vehicles were in the possession of the clients’ family members. In some instances, Nazir allegedly accepted stolen credit cards and property in lieu of cash to secure the release of his clients.
Nazir was also was found guilty of intimidating a family member of an arrestee by having another person deliver graphic photos of an officer-involved shooting, in which Nazir had personal involvement.
Nazir has been in custody since his initial arrest in 2019 and is currently awaiting sentencing. His bail agent license expired on June 30, 2019. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Nazir is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on July 10.
