Federal raids in LA target Armenian organized crime syndicate, 13 arrested

Yahoo

21-05-2025

The Brief
Federal authorities conducted raids in Los Angeles and Florida, arresting 13 alleged members of an Armenian crime syndicate with Russian mafia ties.
The arrested individuals face federal complaints for crimes including attempted murder, kidnapping, thefts of online retailer shipments, and illegal firearm possession.
Authorities seized cash, armored vehicles, and illegal guns, while one suspect remains on the run.
LOS ANGELES - Federal authorities carried out several raids Tuesday across the Los Angeles area, resulting in multiple arrests of alleged members of an organized Armenian crime ring with Russian mafia ties.
Law enforcement officials in California and Florida carried out the raids and arrested 13 alleged members and associates of an Armenian organized crime syndicate.
What we know
According to a press release from U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli's office, those arrested are facing five federal complaints for "a series of crimes – including attempted murder, kidnapping, tens of millions of dollars' worth of thefts of online retailer shipments, and illegal firearm possession – to expand and maintain their control in the San Fernando Valley."
"This transnational criminal organization operated with the structure and brutality of an international cartel, inflicting significant harm on public safety and causing substantial damage to legitimate commerce and supply chains," said HSI Los Angeles Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Dwayne Angebrandt. "Dismantling transnational criminal organizations is at the core of HSI's mission, and through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are holding these perpetrators accountable and disrupting their criminal enterprise at every level."
Charging documents obtained by FOX 11 detail what could be described as an internal power struggle between the crime groups playing out across LA County since 2022. Members allegedly battled for "control in their territory, resulting in multiple murder attempts and a kidnapping."
"For a large extent, Armenian organized crime groups tend to be the quieter ones," said Hal Kempfer, a former Marine intelligence officer. "You don't hear a lot about them. One of the reasons is they're very sophisticated. They tend to focus on crimes that get less attention. The Russians on the other hand are notoriously violent."
The Armenian crime group is also accused of bank fraud, wire fraud, and cargo theft. According to charging documents, they're accused of diverting and stealing cargo trucks with millions of dollars worth of items from Amazon.
"We'll see if more comes out of this, but a lot Russian organized crime is tied in with Russian intelligence services," said Kempfer. "It's like any other business. There's a part where you compete, and there's a part where you cooperate. The Armenians were always good at the cooperation side."
Authorities Tuesday seized more than $100,000 in cash, three armored vehicles, and illegal guns. One suspect hasn't been arrested yet.
"Investigators from the Burbank Police Department spent hundreds of hours investigating these heinous violent crimes," said Burbank Police Chief Rafael Quintero. "The Burbank Police Department is grateful for the assistance from its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office for their work in holding these individuals accountable for their actions."
"Today's arrests reflect that my office and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping America safe by dismantling transnational criminal organizations," said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "Let today's enforcement action be a warning to criminals: Our communities are not your playground to engage in violence and thuggery."