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ProfilePerson

Artur Ayvazyan

Defendant

PPP · EIDL
Type
Person
Role
Defendant
Programs
PPP, EIDL
Updated

The profile

Encino man convicted at trial in June 2021 in the Los Angeles PPP and EIDL fraud ring run by his brother, Richard Ayvazyan, and his wife, Tamara Dadyan. He was sentenced to five years; the Ninth Circuit affirmed his convictions and sent him back for resentencing.

In the archive

Identity and role

Artur Ayvazyan, also known as "Arthur Ayvazyan," lived in Encino, California, according to the indictment, which also records that he and Richard Ayvazyan were brothers and that he and Tamara Dadyan were married. He was 40 when charged and 41 at trial and sentencing, per the Justice Department. He is defendant 3 in United States v. Ayvazyan et al., No. 2:20-cr-00579-SVW (C.D. Cal.). The Ninth Circuit identified his brother and his wife as the conspiracy's "two principal organizers."

What the jury heard

The court record gives no career for him. On appeal, the Ninth Circuit summarized the trial evidence. He submitted a loan application with false payroll figures "exactly matching" those on other applications tied to the conspiracy. Texts between the two organizers discussed his involvement, including that he "want[ed] to do another" application with a bank. His home and cellphone held materials connected to fraudulent applications, stolen identification documents among them.

The ring

According to DOJ, the eight defendants used dozens of fake, stolen or synthetic identities, including those of elderly or deceased people and of foreign exchange students. With them they applied for about 150 PPP and EIDL loans, seeking more than $20 million on fake identity, tax and payroll records. DOJ says the proceeds went into down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale and Palm Desert and into gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, designer handbags and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

The Ninth Circuit cited texts in which Tamara Dadyan told Richard Ayvazyan she would "have [Artur] go deposit the 157k" from a co-conspirator's loan, and "I'm expecting a wire for Art for $73500"; days later $73,500 went to Runyan Tax Service for "payroll."

Their own relief

The judgment does not separate his own loans from the ring's. He is jointly and severally liable with Richard Ayvazyan, Marietta Terabelian and Tamara Dadyan for $17,723,141.26 in restitution, under the court's December 27, 2021 order and his second amended judgment of January 27, 2022.

  • Charged: by criminal complaint filed November 3, 2020, with Tamara Dadyan; both were arrested November 5, 2020 (DOJ). Indicted November 17, 2020; first superseding indictment March 9, 2021.
  • Convicted: by a jury on June 25, 2021, after an eight-day trial: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft (DOJ).
  • Sentenced: November 15, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson: 60 months in prison (36 months on counts 1–20 and 26, concurrent, plus 24 months consecutive on count 24), five years of supervised release, a $2,200 special assessment and no fine. According to the government's account of the hearing, the judge found he had perjured himself when he testified at trial and denied his role. Amended judgments followed on January 4 and January 27, 2022.
  • Appeal: on August 7, 2023, the Ninth Circuit (No. 21-50302) affirmed his convictions and the Guidelines calculation, vacated the sentence in part because the district court had not invited him to speak before sentencing, and remanded for de novo resentencing. It affirmed his restitution obligation in a separate opinion. The mandate was filed November 2, 2023.
  • Resentencing: the government asked the court to impose the same 60-month sentence; his lawyers asked the court to convert the rest of his term to home confinement. The resentencing hearing took place April 15, 2024.

Since 2024

The court held a status conference on April 29, 2024, which the docket describes as concerning the resentencing and an extension of time to appeal (Dkt. 1457). The April 15, 2024 resentencing minutes, as filed, have no legible text, and we have no later judgment, so the resentencing outcome is not in the record on this site. The last filing we have in the case, a Marshals Service return on the final order of forfeiture, is dated September 23, 2024.

Documents on this site

Case filings on this site

Sources

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