Iranian 'King of Instagram' nabbed tried to sneak into U.S. from Canada
· Toronto Sun
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The Iranian self-anointed “King of Instagram” has been nabbed in Los Angeles after trying to slip into the United States via Canada.
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According to cops, selfie-loving self-promoter Farzad “Tony” Toutouni, 55, was arrested on Oct. 27 by ICE agents following his illegal entry.
ICE investigators said the Iranian national — who often uses the name “Robert” — has committed a slew of crimes in the U.S. after arriving in the country legally in 1983. But it didn’t take Toutouni long to start racking up a lengthy criminal CV.
Racked up long list of convictions
Starting in 1989, he had arrests for criminal threats, criminal conspiracy, and possession and sale of a controlled substance, among the entries ICE said. Other highlights include kidnapping, robbery and extortion.
How Toutouni managed to elude capture for decades and stay in the U.S. remains a mystery even though the boastful criminal kept loading his Instagram page with raunchy photos of naked models and luxury cars for his more than one million online followers online.
He flaunted his high-flying lifestyle online under the Instagram handle @lunatic_living. His favourite subject matter? Piles of cash, naked women, and wild parties.
The New York Post reports that Toutouni lived in a $5 million mansion in Los Angeles’ posh Hollywood Hills, and openly boasted of his antics. Many of the posts featured knucklehead underworld advice, adorned with scantily clad women in exotic locales and fleets of fast cars.
Describes himself as ‘Pelvis Philanthropist’
Toutouni described himself as a, cough, cough, self-made entrepreneur and “Pelvis Philanthropist” in his online biography.
One post shows the criminal sitting in a private jet with three sizzling women in his lap and the ostentatious bundles of $100 bills posed on a table.
Another bon mot was: “No wife great wife.” In that snapshot, the heavily tattooed Iranian stands shirtless in a swanky high-rise apartment, with a naked woman slung over his shoulder as he snacks from a plate he’s holding in his other hand.
Toutouni has created a party animal persona. A recent series of posts featured him celebrating at hedonistic Burning Man with beautiful women and a gaudy campsite featuring a custom RV and trailer that served up psychedelic décor.
Repeatedly booted from U.S.
Of course, his devout followers aren’t exactly Mensa calibre. One responded to his post: “Tru inspiration.”
The King of Instagram also told his obtuse legion of fans: “I live my life like it’s my last day every day!”
But it hasn’t been all blue skies for the Philosopher King. Previously, he was sentenced to more than 16 months’ imprisonment for making or passing a bogus cheque, grand theft, conspiracy, forgery, kidnapping, robbery and extortion, law enforcement said.
And he’s not wanted in the U.S.
In 1993, an immigration judge ordered Toutouni booted from the country, but somehow he managed to remain. In 1999, another judge again ordered him removed and he was deported to Mexico, the feds say.
Toutouni said he again entered the US illegally on or about April 4, 2011, near Saint Clair, Michigan, near Sarnia, by crossing the river using an electric raft purchased in Canada, ICE officials said.
The feds said the King is now being held in federal custody as they begin removal proceedings against him.