POLITICS: Bill Essayli’s Fraud Crackdown Continues: Feds Arrest 10 in Sophisticated Identity Theft Ring That Stole $17 Million from Elderly California Homeowners – USSA News

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli delivered another powerful blow against the wave of fraud plaguing California, announcing today the arrests of 10 defendants — eight in Los Angeles County and two foreign nationals — charged in a 15-count federal indictment.

The defendants allegedly stole the identities of elderly victims, obtained title reports on their residential properties, and fraudulently solicited approximately $17 million in hard-money loans from private lenders by falsely claiming the loans were secured by the victims’ homes in areas including Santa Monica, Hollywood, and the Hollywood Hills. The scheme, which ran from at least 2021 through 2023, involved fake bank statements, rental agreements, and death certificates to secure the funds, which were wired to accounts controlled by the ringleaders.

Essayli’s announcement, posted on X, highlighted dramatic raids by federal and local law enforcement, including an early-morning FBI swarm on a North Hollywood mansion owned by one of the accused. The pictures were exclusively captured by The New York Post. Agents used spotlights and a bullhorn to demand surrender as luxury vehicles sat in the driveway and firearms were reportedly found inside the residence.

This morning, federal and local law enforcement arrested 10 defendants—eight in Los Angeles County and two foreign nationals—charged in a 15-count indictment with stealing the identities of elderly victims, using that information to obtain title reports for residential… https://t.co/sMTQHEfTWq

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) March 19, 2026

“This morning, federal and local law enforcement arrested 10 defendants… charged in a 15-count indictment with stealing the identities of elderly victims,” Essayli stated. “These arrests are the tip of the iceberg in terms of the fraud permeating California. Under the leadership of @AGPamBondi, we will target rampant fraud committed against the government and private citizens alike.”

The defendants, including ringleaders Nazaret Chakrian (65, a.k.a. “Niko”) and Arnold Moradians (57, a.k.a. “Julian,” an Iranian national with an outstanding removal warrant), along with Armen Vardevaryan (55, a.k.a. “Gonch” or Amen, the North Hollywood mansion owner) and others such as Avetis Hekimyan, face charges including wire fraud and money laundering — each carrying a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison — plus aggravated identity theft, which mandates an additional consecutive two years.

Arraignments are scheduled this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles for those arrested locally, with appearances in federal court in Sacramento and Florida for the others. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Essayli emphasized the broader threat plaguing California: “There is no shortage of massive fraud occurring within California. Today’s operation represents one of many sophisticated schemes used by criminals.”

This latest action builds directly on Essayli’s relentless pursuit of fraud in the state — now amplified by the newly established federal Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. President Trump signed an executive order creating the task force, with Vice President JD Vance tapped to lead it and California specifically in the crosshairs for benefits, welfare, and government program abuse. As the California Globe previously reported, the initiative underscores the scale of fraud in Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Fraud Capital of America” California.

Adding explosive new context to California’s fraud epidemic, independent journalist Nick Shirley’s latest exposé — as reported in the California Globe just two days ago — uncovers over $170 million in alleged fraud across California daycare and hospice/Medi-Cal operations. Shirley’s viral 40-minute investigative video exposes “ghost” facilities, abandoned sites, and alleged Russian Armenian mafia operators living lavish lifestyles on taxpayer dollars, building on his groundbreaking Minnesota probe and shining a national spotlight on the very patterns of fraud Essayli is now targeting.

As the California Globe has reported extensively on Essayli’s prior cases:

• In January 2026, Essayli’s office busted a major homelessness fraud scheme involving the executive director of a South Los Angeles charity who allegedly pocketed millions in taxpayer funds intended for the homeless.
• In October 2025, the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force — established under Essayli — nabbed two alleged fraudsters in separate cases tied to the misuse of funds for affordable housing and property flipping.
• Earlier, in April 2025, Essayli announced the formation of the task force to investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving billions in homelessness funds across the Central District of California..

These cases, combined with Vance’s Task Force and Shirley’s boots-on-the-ground investigative journalism, underscore Essayli’s message that California’s fraud problem extends far beyond any single program — and that accountability is finally arriving at every level. The defendants’ initial appearances today mark another step in what Essayli has repeatedly called a sweeping effort to recover stolen funds and deter future crimes.