Member of Armenian criminal group and his associates convicted in Los Angeles for bank fraud

YEREVAN, March 23./ARKA/. A member of the Armenian Power organized crime group and his three accomplices have found guilty of bank fraud. 

According to the information available on the U.S. Justice Department’s website, four defendants “have been convicted for their roles in one of the largest bank fraud and identity theft schemes in California history, with dozens of victims in four states and millions of dollars in losses”.

Arman Sharopetrosian, 33, Karen Markosian, 39, Artush Margaryan, 28, and Kristine Ogandzhanyan, 28, were found guilty of conspiring to commit bank fraud, attempted bank fraud and various counts of aggravated identity theft. 

Sharopetrosian, Margaryan, Markosian and Ogandzhanyan face maximum sentences of 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud, 30 years for each count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and additional mandatory two year sentences for each count of aggravated identity theft.

According to evidence presented at trial, Sharopetrosian directed the massive fraud scheme along with co-defendant Angus Brown, while the two were incarcerated at Avenal State Prison. Using cellular telephones that were smuggled into the prison, Sharopetrosian and Brown worked from behind bars to coordinate with others, including Ogandzhanyn, Markosian and Margaryan, to obtain confidential bank profile information and steal money from victim account holders.

Sentencing for all four defendants is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2012. -0-