Armenian gang associate gets 13 years in prison in identity-theft case

An Armenian gang associate was sentenced Monday to more than 13 years in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy aimed at stealing the account information of more than 80 elderly bank customers.

U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez ordered Andranik Aloyan, 41, of Hollywood, to serve 13 years and four months in prison and pay about $3.5 million in restitution, according to a U.S. attorney’s office statement.

Aloyan’s “scheme was extensive, sophisticated, and disruptive to the lives of its victims, most of whom were elderly,” according to U.S. District Court documents filed by prosecutors.

He was found guilty in February of participating in an Armenian Power racketeering conspiracy, as well as several financial-related offenses, including attempted bank fraud, identity theft and access device fraud. He also was found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Aloyan possessed customers’ personal and financial information for accounts valued at more than $25 million, according to the statement.

Prosecutors said he and his associates stole the information.

Aloyan’s attorney, Mark Geragos, asked that his client be sentenced to 36 months in custody, saying his involvement in the scheme was limited, according to District Court documents.

He was one of 90 individuals charged in 2011 in two indictments that alleged they were involved in criminal activity associated with the Armenian Power gang, according to the statement.

One of the indictments accused Aloyan, along with 26 other defendants, of racketeering, including money laundering, manufacturing bogus checks, identity theft and debit-card skimming, prosecutors said.

Other defendants were involved in kidnapping, extortion, illegal gambling and drug trafficking.

Armenian Power formed in East Hollywood in the 1980s and is believed to have more than 250 documented members and hundreds of associates.

Prosecutors said 85 defendants have pleaded guilty or were convicted of charges contained in the indictments.

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