A $20 Million Covid Scam’s Convicted Fugitives Captured In Montenegro
In the aftermath of their multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief scam bust, a California couple and a family member left the country. They were apprehended and will be deported to the US.
U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Tamara Dadyan confirmed to the New York Daily News that Richard Ayvazyan, 43, his wife Marietta Terabelian, 37, and his sister-in-law, Tamara Dadyan, 42, had been detained in Montenegro.
Two months after they were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, 11 counts of fraud by wire, eight counts of fraud by bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, Ayvazyan and Terebelian cut off their ankle monitors and went on the run in the summer of 2013.
In November, they were sentenced to 17 and six years in jail, respectively, in absentia.
In accordance with her 10-year sentence, Dadyan was mandated to appear in prison on January 28th, but she failed to do so.
More than 150 loans were fraudulently applied for by eight scam artists, according to the Department of Justice, through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan programme.
Gold coins and jewels, luxury watches, beautiful imported furniture, designer purses and apparel, as well as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle were allegedly purchased with the money.