13 Arrested in Massive Crackdown on Armenian Organized Crime Syndicates in U.S.

Federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and law enforcement partners arrested 13 alleged members and associates of rival Armenian organized crime groups on May 20 in a sweeping transnational crackdown targeting violent crime and massive financial fraud operations across the U.S.

The arrests, carried out in California and Florida, are tied to five federal criminal complaints that include charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal firearm possession, and large-scale theft from online retail supply chains — primarily Amazon.com Inc. More than $83 million in goods were reportedly stolen through an internal fraud and cargo hijacking operation, according to estimates provided by Amazon.

“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 Dwayne Angebrandt, Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Los Angeles.

Among those charged is Ara Artuni, 41, of Porter Ranch, California, who is accused of orchestrating an attempted murder in aid of racketeering. His rival, Robert Amiryan, 46, of Hollywood, California, is charged with kidnapping. Federal affidavits describe both men as “avtoritet” — Russian mafia-affiliated authority figures — who have been warring for control over Armenian Organized Crime territory in Los Angeles County since 2022.

The criminal complaints allege that in summer 2023, Artuni ordered the attempted murder of Amiryan. In retaliation, Amiryan and his associates allegedly kidnapped and tortured one of Artuni’s men weeks later. The turf war allegedly spurred additional crimes, including credit card “bust-out” schemes and fraud targeting e-commerce shipments. Artuni’s group reportedly posed as Amazon contractors to hijack cargo mid-route, rerouting or stealing entire shipments.

In coordinated raids, law enforcement recovered approximately $100,000 in cash, 14 firearms, and three armored vehicles. Federal prosecutors say the group’s activity constitutes a threat to both national security and economic infrastructure.

“Investigators from the Burbank Police Department spent hundreds of hours investigating these heinous violent crimes,” said Burbank Police Chief Rafael Quintero. “The department is grateful for the assistance of federal partners in holding these individuals accountable.”

HSI Los Angeles led the operation in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Major Crimes Division – Transnational Organized Crime Section, Burbank Police, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OIG, IRS Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, two suspects remain in custody on unrelated state charges — Levon Arakelyan of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Ivan Bojorquez of Gardena, California. Meanwhile, Vahan Harutyunyan, 50, of Hollywood, Florida, appeared in court on May 20 and was ordered detained in Fort Lauderdale.

Federal prosecutors have charged the defendants under the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section provided additional legal support.

If convicted, defendants could face up to life in federal prison, depending on the charges. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

ICE encourages the public to report suspicious transnational criminal activity through its 24-hour tip line at 866-DHS-2-ICE.