The Federal Court of California has acknowledged Andranik Aloyan, one of the defendants in the case of the 'Armenian power' criminal gang in the U.S, guilty of conspiracy to commit extortion including the misappropriation of personal and financial information of bank customers, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Justice, RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 13.
Aloyan, who lives in Los Angeles, was acknowledged to be guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion, fraudulent action to gain an access to electronic devices, attempted bank fraud and possession of weapons, according to the statement.
Aloyan possessed personal and financial information of more than 75 bank clients across the country. The total amount stored in their accounts amounted to $25 million. The court will announce the verdict on June 2, according to the witnesses.
In December 2013, the court sentenced Karo Yerkanyan, another defendant in this case to eight years imprisonment. Moreover, the five defendants await their trial scheduled for March 2014.
The 'Armenian power' criminal gang mainly consisted of immigrants from Armenia and other former Soviet republics and was formed in Los Angeles in the 1980s. The U.S. law enforcement agencies conducted a large scale operation in February 2011 and detained dozens of people. There were 70 people on the dock, according to U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported that a total of 59 people involved in the gang's activity including Yerkanyan, pleaded guilty in September 2013.
Translated by NH
Edited by SM