In a sweeping law enforcement operation, 13 people reportedly involved in a violent Armenian crime syndicate headquartered in Los Angeles County have been arrested, federal officials announced Tuesday.
Two leaders of the Russian-mafia affiliated syndicate, referred to as avtoritet which is Russian for “authority,” have been engaged in a violent feud to maintain control of the San Fernando Valley since 2022, U.S. Department of Justice officials said in a news release.
The power struggle, according to federal investigators, was between Porter Ranch resident Ara Artuni, 41, and his rival, Hollywood resident Robert Amiryan, 41, both alleged members of the avtoritet.
Artuni reportedly ordered the murder of Amiryan in the summer of 2023. In retaliation, Amiryan is said to have conspired with members of his organization to kidnap and torture an associate of Artuni’s the same year.
Along with the alleged attempted murder, Artuni’s organization, Artuni Enterprise, reportedly stole more than $83 million from Amazon, officials said.
“Artuni Enterprise members and associates enrolled with Amazon as carriers, contracted for trucking routes, and then, while transporting the goods, diverged from the route and stole all or part of the shipment,” the release detailed.
The 41-year-old’s organization also reportedly ran a “credit card bust-out” scheme where they charged credit cards to a fake business and then “drained the business account” before credit card companies could collect the to-be disputed funds.
Officials did not provide details on where the two men were arrested but said that Artuni is charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering while Amiryan is charged with kidnapping.
Federal agents, who continue to look for one outstanding defendant, seized more than $100,000 in cash, 14 firearms and three armored vehicles in the May 20th operation, which included assistance from the L.A. and Burbank police departments.
Several other arrests were made in the greater Los Angeles area and two others Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, Florida.
“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,” Homeland Security Investigations L.A. Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Dwayne Angebrandt said.
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