Armenian Passport Fraudsters Nabbed in $14M Money Laundering Ring

SANTA ANA, California – In a major crackdown on international identity theft, federal prosecutors have secured guilty pleas from seven defendants involved in a sophisticated scheme that laundered over $14 million using fraudulent Republic of Armenia passports.

This week, the IRS Criminal Investigation division posted a forfeiture notice on a Woodland Hills residence, targeting assets purchased with illegally obtained funds. Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed civil asset forfeiture lawsuits against three Van Nuys properties and a Woodland Hills property, totaling more than $1 million in equity, all linked to fraudulent transactions using Armenian passports.

The investigation took another turn when an eleventh defendant, Aramais Airapetian, 24, of Woodland Hills, was indicted for mortgage fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Airapetian used fake documents to obtain a mortgage from loanDepot.com, with criminal forfeiture allegations leveled against the Woodland Hills house he purchased using the proceeds.

With Airapetian’s indictment, 11 defendants are now facing charges in this investigation. Seven have pleaded guilty, one remains a fugitive, and three are pending trial.

United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker emphasized the severity of stolen identity refund fraud schemes, stating, “These defendants created a complex, international scheme to conceal their fraud, but it was not enough to shield them from discovery and prosecution.”

The IRS identified approximately 7,000 fraudulent tax returns related to this scheme, seeking about $38 million in refunds. The agency issued about $14 million in refunds that were laundered through the bank accounts of the defendants.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Orlando of IRS Criminal Investigation vowed, “IRS Criminal Investigation will not rest until this investigation is fully adjudicated and those responsible for these crimes are held accountable.”