Three San Fernando Valley family members accused of removing their tracking bracelets and fleeing after being convicted in an $18 million COVID-19 relief fraud case have been captured in Montenegro, federal authorities said Wednesday. .
Richard Ayvazyan, 43; his wife, Marietta Terabelian, 37; and his sister-in-law Tamara Dadyan, 42, were arrested on Tuesday in the small, mountainous country in southeastern Europe, the sources said.
Richard Ayvazyan, 43, his wife and co-defendant Marietta Terabelian, 37, and his sister-in-law, Tamara Dadyan, 42, were arrested Tuesday in the small, mountainous country in southeastern Europe, NBC News reported.
They have been missing since August 29.
The three were among eight family members convicted of stealing more than $18 million in COVID relief loans and using the money on extravagant expenses, such as down payments on luxury homes, designer handbags, clothing and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Davidson.
It was not immediately clear how his extradition to the US might turn out.
The FBI did not immediately comment.
The strange story has been like this from the beginning.
In November 2021, the couple Ayvazyan and Terabelian were sentenced in court despite not showing up, which their family says was because they were kidnapped, apparently to prevent them from revealing the identities of accomplices who are not charged. according to court documents.
However, the FBI said the married couple, faced with years behind bars, removed their location-monitoring devices, left a note for their children and absconded from their Encino home together. The next day, a Los Angeles judge signed warrants for his arrest.
In November, Ayvazyan was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison and his wife received a six-year sentence, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Ayvazyan was the suspected mastermind behind the criminal network.
The couple and two family members were convicted in June 2021 of conspiring to submit fraudulent loan applications under which they and others obtained more than $18 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program funds. , which they used to make down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale, and Palm Desert, and to purchase other luxury items such as gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, imported furniture, designer handbags, clothing, and a motorcycle Harley Davidson.
Ayvazyan “victimized seniors (including those with disabilities), deceased individuals, and foreign exchange students who had spent just a few months in the United States years ago and now lived thousands of miles away in a foreign country,” prosecutors wrote. .
The defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Ayvazyan was also found guilty of aggravated identity theft.
The Los Angeles federal jury determined that the defendants should seize bank accounts, jewelry, watches, gold coins, three houses and about $450,000 in cash, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Evidence showed that the defendants used false or stolen identities to submit fraudulent loan applications. To support the applications, the defendants also submitted false documents to the lenders and the Small Business Administration, including false identity documents, tax documents and payroll records, prosecutors said.
Before the verdict, four accomplices pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the case.
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