Tanzanian Fashion Designer Claims Former Department of Energy Official Sam Brinton Stole Her Clothes

Asya Khamsin of Tanzania alleges that former Department of Energy official Sam Brinton took her clothing when flying to Washington DC in 2018 and later saw images showing him wearing them in public. Khamsin alleges her wardrobe went missing during this flight but then saw photos showing Brinton donning these same outfits on various occasions after she saw pictures.

Asya Khamsin

Tanzanian fashion designer Asya Khamsin made an incendiary claim that former Department of Energy official Sam Brinton was seen wearing her custom clothing in news photographs after hearing of his arrest for allegedly stealing women’s luggage at two airports last year. Her tweet has gone viral online. She shared side-by-side photos that showcase both their outfits.

Asya Khamsin is an accomplished Tanzanian fashion designer residing in Houston. According to her LinkedIn profile, she possesses expertise in materials, design configuration, fashion styling, consulting, and runway show stylist/wardrobe assistant work. Asya graduated from Kiswandui Primary School in Zanzibar and Haile Selassie Secondary School before joining Fabak Fashions as one of its designers.

Khamsin reported her luggage containing designer pieces was lost at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in March 2018 after it had been stolen, so she filed a police report with Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police and Delta Airlines upon realizing it had been taken. Unfortunately, both organizations denied her claim.

Peter Hansen, Khamsin’s lawyer, stated that Brinton may have been wearing designer attire from Khamsin and the jewelry he designed. Police executed a search warrant at Brinton’s Maryland home based on information received from Khamsin.

Khamsin filed a formal complaint with the Houston Police Department and provided information to the FBI concerning this investigation, yet she has yet to face charges over her claims.

Asya Khamsin’s claims have caused considerable backlash online. Many have accused her of being a white supremacist, while others have supported her. While these allegations may or may not be accurate, they still harm Asya Khamsin’s reputation and further damage her credibility.

Sam Brinton

Sam Brinton, the former Department of Energy nuclear official who made headlines for stealing luggage from two airports, may now face another hurdle. Tanzanian fashion designer Ririn Khamsin has accused Brinton, an ex-Biden administration official, of wearing her custom clothing packed in a suitcase reported stolen at Washington airport last year by police. Peter Hansen confirmed this week to The Washington Post that Brinton’s Maryland residence was searched using information Khamsin provided them.

Khamsin’s story became viral after she shared photos of allegedly stolen garments on social media. According to Khamsin, they had been taken from her suitcase at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC, and only after looking up his name online did she learn of his arrest for luggage theft – and discovered evidence showing him wearing the custom designs that had been packed in her lost suitcase at Ronald Reagan National. Khamsin found numerous photos showing the now-arrested clothing designer wearing those outfits from within her briefcase that she packed at Ronald Reagan National Airport!

Police searched Brinton’s home in Montgomery County on Wednesday using a warrant submitted by Khamsin’s lawyer to authorities, according to The Washington Post. Additionally, officers searched a storage facility owned by Brinton, where the clothes may have been stashed after being confiscated by airport police in 2022.

No matter the allegations against Brinton, it remains unclear if police have enough evidence against him to file criminal charges. At present, he’s being held in Maryland as a “fugitive from justice” on charges related to luggage allegedly stolen at DC airport; an extradition hearing for similar allegations at Las Vegas and Minneapolis-St Paul airports will take place shortly.

Khamsin has recently become embroiled in another controversy after she gave an interview to a local news station, sparking uproar on Twitter among many who felt that it was biased and not suitable for air.

Luggage Theft

Asya Khamsin, a Tanzanian fashion designer specializing in hand-woven textiles, recently made an outrageous claim: disgraced former Department of Energy official Sam Brinton had her custom clothes stolen from an airport and worn. This claim came to light this week when Houston-based designer Asya Khamsin saw photos of Brinton — who uses they/them pronouns– wearing outfits that had gone missing from Washington D.C. airport back in 2018 but had since been worn by them/they/them pronouns–wearing her custom outfits stolen in 2018. Khamsin made public her allegations via Twitter this week after seeing photos showing her wearing outfits that had gone missing since 2018.

Court records reveal that Khamsin had her luggage, including custom clothing, stolen from Reagan National Airport by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). Once she reported its loss, MWAA police searched her home and confiscated several items.

In October, this department announced that Brinton had been removed from his post as Nuclear Waste Policy Coordinator for President Biden after being charged with theft at two airports – Minnesota and Las Vegas – he entered a diversion program with requirements that included mental health evaluation and writing an apology, returning any stolen items and performing three days of community service.

On Thursday, a spokesperson from Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police confirmed that Brinton had been taken into custody at his Maryland home after being approached by local law enforcement agencies, working in cooperation with them and Montgomery County Central Processing Unit in Maryland until his extradition back to Virginia can be completed.

Khamsin’s attorney stated that her client is leaving all options open regarding filing a civil suit against Brinton; meanwhile, any items taken away by MWAA would likely be returned shortly.

Khamsin’s claim has caused widespread debate. Many remain supportive of Brinton, believing he was unfairly fired from the Biden administration when evidence surfaced of luggage thefts at two airports; others, however, criticize LGBTQ activists and conservative media outlets for elevating him without conducting thorough investigations of his background, also asserting that these thefts signal more significant issues within the gay rights movement like sexism and discrimination.

Identity Theft

Sam Brinton, former DOE official and now business consultant, is facing yet another luggage theft allegation by Tanzanian fashion designer Asya Khamsin. Peter Hansen from Washington DC law firm representing Asya told Fox News that police executed a search warrant this week at Brinton’s Maryland residence following her submission of photos showing their custom designs packed in her suitcase that went missing at Ronald Reagan National Airport last December.

Houston-based designer Khamsin Hansen tells Fox that Khamsin Khamsin saw photos online of Brinton wearing her custom outfits to Vanity Fair photoshoots that she believes comprise part of what was stolen at Reagan National. Khamsin wants justice and wants the police to return them if they find them while searching Brinton’s home.

No explanation was provided as to why police are investigating these allegations against Brinton, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, while the FBI offered no comment on this matter. A search of records shows that she was arrested twice on allegations of bag thefts from airport carousels (one in Minneapolis and once in Las Vegas). Both times, judges determined jail time unnecessary and released her with probation after serving roughly three years behind bars.

MWAA officials confirm to The Post that they received a complaint from Khamsin in February, who claimed her luggage went missing at Dulles Airport in 2018. Later, they saw photos and a video of Brinton taking it from the carousel and entering a taxi.

MWAA police are currently working closely with Montgomery County police to investigate this claim, and should a warrant for his arrest be issued in Virginia, he will be extradited to Maryland to face grand larceny charges; whether or not additional crimes will also be charged is currently unknown; while in the meantime he’s being held at a Maryland prison while an extradition hearing takes place.