Tareq Dirgham Salahi (born May 26, 1968, Washington, DC) is an American vintner involved in multiple financial or charity controversies. He and his wife Michaele gained national attention in November 2009 by allegedly crashing a White House state dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.^[1][2]

Family and early life

Tareq Salahi was born on May 26, 1968, in Washington, DC.^[3] He is of Palestinian descent from his father's side. His father, Dirgham Salahi, immigrated to United States from Jerusalem in the 1940s. His mother, Corinne, is from Belgium. Dirgham was educated as a petroleum geologist and worked in the Middle East and United States. He retired and settled in Virginia, where he became manager of an estate farm which he then subsequently bought. Corrine Salahi is the founder and director of the Montessori School of Alexandria, Virginia.

Tareq attended the Randolph-Macon Academy, graduating in 1987, and subsequently graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in business management and oenology.^[4][5][6] He met Michaele Holt at a 2000 holiday party thrown by McLean, Virginia real estate developer N. Casey Margenau and his wife Molly.

Tareq and Michaele married in 2003, holding a lavish ceremony at Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC with 28 bridesmaids and 28 groomsmen. According to a video posted on YouTube and her Facebook page, their reception at the Tareq family winery was prepared by 46 chefs, hosted in a 36,000 square-foot tent, and culminated with a 30-minute fireworks display and an eight-foot wedding cake. The guest list included 1,836 guests, including Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Margaret Heckler. The wedding, originally scheduled for October 2002, had been postponed numerous times, prompting Kennedy to quip that he needed to issue "subpoenas" to the bride and groom^[2][7][4].

Oasis Winery

In 1977, the Salahi family founded the Oasis Winery on their estate farm in Hume, Virginia. They planted some of the first Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines in Virginia, establishing the fifth winery in the commonwealth^[8]. Over time, the vineyard and winery expanded and the estate was developed to raise ancillary income as a venue for polo events and other functions. Tareq was named the winery's managing director in 1994.^[4]

The vineyard's Meritage line won Gold Medals at the 1994 and 1996 world wine championships. In 1998, Tareq launched a Cuvee "Celebration" sparkling wine which also garnered top awards.^[9] At its high point the winery's assets included a bottled water business, a fleet of town cars and limos, a $3 million luxury yacht for charters, and a rental condo in St. Thomas.

In 2005, health problems caused Dirgham to step down as head, giving Corrine a more active role in the winery. Tareq and Corrine feuded bitterly over spending and the dispute ended up bankrupting the operation. Disputes with neighbors added another $2 million to the winery's legal bills.^[10][11]

On November 27 2007, Fauquier County Judge Jeffrey W. Parker, who was overseeing the bankruptcy of the winery, approved the sale of the property and assets of Oasis Vineyard Inc. for $4.15 million to a partnership headed by Margenau that was to be run by Tareq. However, Margenau backed out: "When I looked at the disarray of the property and vines, and looked at the financials, I said, 'Tareq, you can't make this work. You couldn't pay the rent. You'd be defaulting to me, and we wouldn't be friends'."^[11] The Salahis plan to reopen Oasis to the public in 2010^[8][4].

Public Service

Impressed with Salahi's plan to market Virginia wine to the world, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore appointed Tareq in 2000 to a three-year term on the Virginia Wine Board. At the conclusion of that term, Virginia Governor Mark Warner nominated Tareq as chairman of the Virginia Wine Tourism Office. Tareq is currently one of 15 board members of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a "board that shapes Virginia's tourism policy", appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine in 2006. Kaine told MSNBC: "Tareq had served on the state's wine board under both Gov. Gilmore and Gov. Warner, and when his term on the wine board finished, he and the tourism board wanted him on that board because he's a great promoter -- you won't be surprised to hear me say that." During his time in office the Virginia Wineway, Loudoun Wine Trail, Blue Ridge Wineway and Virginia Wineries Alliance were created, attracting, according to a USDA study, 980,000 wine tourists to the state, of which 336,000 visited Piedmont wineries^{[4][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}.

Gov. Kaine intimated to the Washington Post that he directed Secretary of the Commonwealth Kate Hanley to ask Tareq for his resignation from the board.^[19] Virginia Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment wrote a letter to Gov. Kaine asking for Salahi's removal from the board: "Mr. Salahi's recent outrageous behavior and personal promotion in regards to trespassing in the White House is not the face we need for Virginia tourism…I would appreciate you taking swift action to avoid any further negative situations."^[20]

According to the Huffington Post website, Salahi is a member of the board of the directors of the American Task Force on Palestine, though his biographic page on that organization's website has been erased. This group has been criticized as doing nothing more than "sponsoring polo matches."^[21] A reputed screen grab of his biographic page on the organization's website is reproduced on the Talking Points Memo website.^[22] The Salahis' America's Polo Cup site contains a media kit showing Tareq to be a current board member.^[23][24]

Polo

Salahi is an accomplished polo player and horseman, having started show jumping at 5 and competing in numerous international Grand Prix events before taking up polo at 16. He was a regular competitor on the U.S. National Team and his Oasis squad won two U.S. Polo Association National Arena Titles in 1997 and 1998^[9].

In 1999, Salahi played on the American team at a polo match at Windsor Castle in Great Britain. He was afterwards invited to a private reception honoring HRH Prince Charles, then a player on the British team. At the exact moment that Salahi was to extend his hand to Charles for a simple “grip and grin” photo, an associate suddenly emerged from behind a curtain and thrust a magnum of Oasis Vineyards Special 2000 Millenium Sparkling Wine into the hands of the surprised prince^[10].

During preparations for the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in 2007, Salahi founded the America's Polo Cup to bring more attention to the sport. Salahi and his wife are co-chairs of the event. Family friend and former American Gladiator Jonathan Byrne was assistant chair in 2007, but left the organization after a physical altercation with Salahi during the inaugural match.^[25]

The Salahis claim that the main sponsor for the polo event is Land Rover, but Land Rover and other supposed sponsors such as Cartier and Ritz Carlton deny any connection, calling it "fabrication".^[26][27]

Controversies

Gate-Crashing

Tareq Salahi has been involved in numerous controversies over the years, most famously the U.S. 2009 White House gatecrash incident in which he and Michaele entered a state dinner despite allegedly lacking an invitation. Michaele Salahi has been filmed as one of the housewives for Bravo's upcoming The Real Housewives of DC, and sources say cameramen for the show filmed their preparations for the dinner and followed the couple to the White House.^[28][29][30] Tim Burke, who directed MTV Blaggers!, in which a group of friends gatecrash high profile events and parties,said he was contacted by Salahi a week before the White House incident. Salahi asked him for advice on tricking his way into a black-tie event.^[31] Tareq Salahi was requested by the House Homeland Security Committee to appear at a hearing on December 3, 2009, but he refused to attend.^[32]

The Salahis also allegedly crashed the September 26, 2009, dinner for the Congressional Black Caucus, and were asked to leave by security. On the December 2, 2009, Today Show, they claimed they were given tickets to that event by the Gardner Law Group, but caucus spokeswoman Muriel Cooper refuted that claim.^[33]

Polo

The Salahis are also accused of bouncing a $24,000 check for liquor purchased in Maryland for the May 2009 America's Polo Cup event; they returned over $10,000 in merchandise but still owed nearly $13,000, according to a lawsuit filed on December 3, 2009, by the Montgomery County, Maryland, government.^[34][35][36] Colorado rancher Barry Stout claims the Salahis owe him "$19,500 for their entry into last year's World Snow Polo Championship, held Dec. 20-21, 2008, in Aspen."^[37][38]

Charity

Tareq and Michaele have been accused of running an unregistered charity as Virginia State Corporation Commission and warned givers that the State “could not be assured that funds were being spent for charitable purposes.” Tareq is listed as the director of the "Journey for the Cure Foundation." The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Consumer Affairs has issued a press release that cautions consumers that "Journey for the Cure Foundation, 14141 Hume Road, Hume, Virginia, has solicited contributions from Virginia citizens for allegedly charitable purposes. However, as of May 13, 2009, this organization has not registered with or been granted the appropriate exempt status by the Commissioner as required by law".^{[39][40][10][41]} The Journey for the Cure Foundation reported taking in $19,098.91 in donations in 2008, but disbursing just $690 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and $20 to the US Navy Memorial Fund. According to records filed with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the foundation spent $7,200 for professional fees, $5,300 for travel, $819 on office supplies, $1200 on bank fees, and $5,823 on fundraising and meals. ^[42][43] Tareq Salahi told the Washington Post in 2008 that he had raised $250,000 for his charity Journey for the Cure.^[44]

Miscellaneous Legal

The Salahis have had numerous fights with their neighbors, stemming from the expansion of the winery and disputes over live music. By 2005, these disputes caused the Fauquier County Zoning Office to limit the winery's events to 12 wine tastings per year. That action prompted Michaele Salahi to register as a lobbyist in Richmond where her efforts succeeded in passing House Bill 2643, removing the power of county zoning authorities to regulate "customary or usual" vineyard activities, such as wine dinners or weddings.^[4][45]

On January 10, 2008 Tareq Salahi was arrested by Fauquier County sheriffs on charges that in July 2007, he verbally abused Diane Weiss, an employee of the Oasis Winery. The charges were later dropped.^[45]

Travis Frantz, president of the 28-property Mosby's Overlook Estates homeowners association in Front Royal, put a lien on the Salahi home because they hadn't paid dues since the first year they moved in. The Salahis and HOA reached a settlement in mediation, but the HOA has yet to be paid. Frantz said sheriff's deputies have stopped at his house several times trying to serve papers on Tareq Salahi and wanting to know where they might find him.^[46]

The Salahis are reported to be named in as many as 16 civil suits, according to CNN.com.^[47] In a 2008 filing, Sheila Johnson, the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television and proprietor of Salamander Resort & Spa inMiddleburg, Virginia, claimed in Loudoun County General District Court that Salahi owes more than $300,000 to her catering business for a 2008 America's Polo Cup event; a Hume-based caterer, Jerome Farmer, told Washington Life that Salahi still owes him $30,000 for catering services for the 2009 America's Polo Cup; and Robb Levin told Time magazine that he won a $15,000 judgment against the Salahis, but has yet to collect a penny.^{[48][2][49][50][11][45]}

A police detective in Montgomery County, Virginia said that when he investigated a complaint filed by the Salahis in 2009, a law enforcement database showed 41 records detailing the couple's previous contacts with police, with the Salahis often saying they were victims of wrongdoing. The detective noted in his report that Tareq Salahi sent him paperwork that the detective judged to be false. "The fact that Tareq Salahi would fabricate an 'invoice' rather than request another copy from the contractor caused the writer to question the veracity of the information given by the Salahis'," the detective wrote.^[51]

On December 4, 2009, Warren County Judge W. Dale Houff ordered Tareq Salahi to surrender the Patek Philippe Geneve watch he was wearing to a landscaper to whom he owed about $2,000, with the wristwatch to be held or sold to cover the debt.^[52][6]

In Popular Culture

In the opening segment of the 05 December, 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live Tareq was portrayed by Bobby Moynihan as an interloper who got on stage at a Barack Obama speech in Allentown, Pennsylvania and posed for various pictures behind the President with his wife, Secret Service guards, and Vice-President Joe Biden. At one point they even asked the President to stop his speech and snap a group shot of all of them.

References

External Links

• Oasis Winery
• America's Polo Cup Washington DC June 2010
• Tareq & Michaele Salahi wedding video
• Official Guest List for White House State Dinner
• Washington Life: coverage of incident and Salahis
• Loudoun Times-Mirror (Va.) report on the Salahis
• Washington Post article on Salahis' problems