Hundreds of Fake Identities and Fraudulent Armenian and Georgian Passports Used To Open Bank Accounts and Mail Drops across Southern California
Posted by CotoBlogzz
Rancho Santa Margarita, California – Federal authorities late yesterday
arrested five out of 10 defendants who have been charged in identity thefts
cases related to an international money laundering scheme that laundered
millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained federal income tax refunds,
according to statement by United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker.
The criminal complaints filed Tuesday in United States District Court and
unsealed yesterday charge the 10 defendants with participating in a money
laundering ring that used hundreds of bank accounts opened with stolen
identities to launder millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained tax refunds.
According to the affidavits
supporting the complaints, the Internal Revenue Service has identified
approximately 7,000 fraudulent tax returns related to this scheme that
cumulatively sought about $38 million in refunds.
The IRS issued about $14 million in
refunds, and the money was deposited into and laundered through bank accounts
used in this scheme. The fraudulent tax returns were filed and the bank
accounts were opened with personal identifying information that had been stolen
from thousands of victims.
The 10
defendants, each of whom was named in a separate criminal complaint, allegedly
used fraudulent foreign passports to commit identity theft by opening numerous
bank accounts and mailbox addresses with the stolen identities. According to
the criminal complaints, they used fraudulent passports from the Republic of
Armenia, Georgia and the Czech Republic that had the names of identity theft
victims but the defendants’ photographs.
The
mailboxes and bank accounts were opened throughout southern California,
including the cities of Newport Beach, Cypress, and La Habra in Orange County;
and the cities of Alhambra, Azusa, Covina, Encino, Los Angeles, Montebello,
North Hollywood, Rowland Heights, Temple City and Glendale in Los Angeles
County.
The five defendants taken into custody late yesterday afternoon are:
·
Eduard Astvatsatryan, 34, of Glendale, who allegedly opened at
least 17 bank accounts and 14 mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Hripsime Avagyan, 24, of Burbank, who allegedly opened at least
six bank accounts and seven mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Armen Mkrtchyan, 46, of Glendale, who allegedly opened at least
two bank accounts and two mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Sargis “Sergio” Tabadzhyan, 54, of West Hollywood, who allegedly
opened at least 13 bank accounts and seven mailbox addresses in different
identities using fraudulent Armenian passports; and
·
Artash Stepanyan, 31, of Glendale, who allegedly opened at least
14 bank accounts and six mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian and Georgian passports;
The
defendants who were arrested were held overnight and are scheduled to make
their initial court appearances this afternoon in the United States Courthouse
in Santa Ana.
Authorities
continue to search for the other five defendants. They are:
·
Mkhitar Mkrtchyan, 43, of Sylmar, who allegedly opened at least
two bank accounts and two mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Karen Pogosian, 45, of Sun Valley, who allegedly opened at least
two bank accounts and two mailbox addresses in different identities using
fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Konstantin Galstyan, 23, of Sylmar, who allegedly opened at
least four bank accounts and two mailbox addresses in different identities
using fraudulent Armenian passports;
·
Jane Doe, who allegedly opened at least eight bank accounts and
six mailbox addresses in different identities using fraudulent Armenian
passports; and
·
John Doe, who allegedly opened at least four bank accounts and
two mailbox addresses in different identities using fraudulent Georgian
passports.
Federal
authorities are seeking the public’s help is apprehending these defendants.
Anyone with information about these defendants is encouraged to contact IRS
Criminal Investigation at (213) 200-3083 or HSI at (866) DHS-2-ICE.
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