A California couple who fled the nation after being convicted in a multimillion-dollar Covid reduction rip-off have been extradited from Montenegro, the Justice Division mentioned Friday.
Richard Ayvazyan, 44, and his spouse, Marietta Terabelian, 38, arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday, roughly 9 months after they have been captured within the small, mountainous nation in southeastern Europe. They’re anticipated to look on the U.S. District Court docket in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.
They have been amongst eight members of a California crime ring convicted of stealing greater than $18 million in Covid reduction loans. The fraudsters used the stolen cash for down funds on luxurious houses and to purchase such gadgets as gold cash, diamonds and a Harley-Davidson bike.
Following their conviction in June 2021, the couple lower off their ankle monitoring bracelets and fled their dwelling, forsaking their three youngsters.
Ayvazyan was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in jail. His spouse was sentenced to 6 years.
As NBC Information was the primary to report, they have been arrested in Montenegro in February.
It wasn’t instantly clear what led to the couple’s extradition, however the Justice Division mentioned in a press launch that the federal government of Montenegro offered important help.
