Arthur Aslanian, Murder-for-Hire, California 2023

RIVERSIDE, CA – A La Cañada Flintridge man, Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 54, is facing decades in federal prison after a jury convicted him of orchestrating a pair of cold-blooded murder-for-hire plots and setting fire to one of his own properties. The target list included a former attorney and a litigant who had the audacity to win against him in court. This wasn’t a dispute over money; it was a blatant attempt to eliminate anyone who crossed him.

The evidence, laid bare during a five-day trial, revealed Aslanian’s willingness to resort to extreme violence to settle scores. He allegedly conspired with his employee, Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, to find a hitman to kill “M.Y.”, a lawyer Aslanian refused to pay the $261,000 in fees and expenses owed after representing him in a bankruptcy case. When a demand letter for mediation arrived, Aslanian’s response wasn’t negotiation – it was a contract on M.Y.’s life. The other target, “S.E.”, simply had the misfortune of defeating Aslanian in a legal battle over a Brentwood home.

Rivera, acting on Aslanian’s orders, allegedly approached a known gang member and convicted felon in April 2022, offering $20,000 for the double hit. He provided details on both targets, including photos and business information, desperate to secure proof of completion. A crucial piece of evidence was a secretly recorded conversation in July 2022, where Rivera stressed “Arthur” wanted the killings expedited. The hitman, thankfully, was an undercover operative who alerted authorities. Law enforcement quickly intervened, warning both M.Y. and S.E. of the imminent danger.

The scheme unraveled after Rivera showed Aslanian a staged photograph of S.E.’s supposed murder on September 15, 2022, hoping to confirm the hit. Aslanian’s arrest followed swiftly. But the violence didn’t stop there. Prosecutors also proved Aslanian, through Rivera, paid an individual a mere few hundred dollars to torch a vacant unit in a North Hollywood rental property he owned, forcing the remaining tenants out. A petty, callous act designed to further his own interests.

The jury found Aslanian guilty on multiple counts: one count of conspiracy and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce. Rivera has already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of use. This case demonstrates a chilling disregard for human life and the lengths to which some will go to avoid accountability.

United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal has scheduled sentencing for October 2. Aslanian faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each murder-for-hire count, and up to 20 years for each arson-related count. A mandatory minimum of five years awaits him on each arson charge. The Grimy Times will be present for the sentencing, ensuring justice is served in this disturbing case.

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