Three fugitives convicted in $20 million COVID-19 relief scam captured in Montenegro
A California couple and a relative who fled the country after being caught operating a multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief scam have been captured and are expected to be extradited back to the U.S.
Richard Ayvazyan, 43, his wife, Marietta Terabelian, 37, and his sister-in-law Tamara Dadyan, 42, have been arrested in Montenegro, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed to the Daily News Thursday.
Ayvazyan and Terebelian cut off their ankle monitors last summer and went on the run, two months after they were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
They were sentenced in absentia in November to 17 years in prison and six years, respectively.
Dadyan was supposed to report to prison Jan. 28 for her 10-year sentence, but never showed up.
The scam artists, eight in total, submitted fraudulent applications for more than 150 loans through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, according to the Department of Justice.
They then allegedly used the money for down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale and Palm Desert, gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, fine imported furnishings, designer handbags, clothing and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
