FBI raids Hollywood mansion in $17.4M mortgage scam targeting seniors, 11 arrested including Iranian national

FBI agents raided a Hollywood mansion aboriginal Thursday, arresting a fishy successful pajamas successful a raid tied to an alleged $17.4 cardinal owe fraud strategy targeting aged homeowners.

Prosecutors said the strategy resulted successful astir $6 cardinal successful existent losses, with 11 suspects — including an Iranian and Azerbaijani nationalist — accused of stealing victims’ identities, taking retired mortgages connected their homes and pocketing the cash.

During the raid, portion of Operation Hard Money, agents surrounded the location and took the fishy into custody aft helium walked retired with his hands up earlier being handcuffed, FOX 11 reported. Several luxury vehicles were parked outside, and the spot appeared precocious remodeled, the outlet reported.

FBI RAIDS HOME AND OFFICES OF MAJOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

FBI agents instrumentality a fishy into custody extracurricular a Hollywood mansion during a raid linked to an alleged $17.4 cardinal owe fraud strategy targeting aged homeowners. (FBI Los Angeles)

"There is nary shortage of monolithic fraud occurring wrong California," Bill Essayli, archetypal adjunct United States attorney, said successful a statement. "Today’s cognition represents 1 of galore blase schemes utilized by criminals — including overseas nationals — to defraud U.S. citizens and taxpayers of their hard-earned property. Those days are implicit nether this U.S. Department of Justice. These defendants volition beryllium facing important situation clip for their charged conduct."

"Massive alleged fraud takedown successful California from @FBILosAngeles — good done," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote connected X successful effect to the raid.

FBI Director Kash Patel praised the operation. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

All defendants but 1 are charged with conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud and aggregate counts of ligament fraud, portion respective besides look aggravated individuality theft and wealth laundering charges, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said.

Authorities allege the radical targeted aged homeowners betwixt 2021 and 2023, stealing idiosyncratic accusation and utilizing it to make fake IDs and email accounts to impersonate victims. They past applied for high-value "hard money" loans backed by the victims’ properties, submitting falsified documents including slope statements, rental agreements and aesculapian records.

I'VE WORKED THOUSANDS OF MONEY LAUNDERING CASES — FRAUD IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

After a four-year probe, the FBI’s Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force arrested 11 suspects successful "Operation Hard Money," accusing them of stealing aged victims’ identities to fraudulently unafraid loans against their properties. (@FBILosAngeles / X)

The suspects allegedly utilized fake identities and ammunition accounts to funnel the proceeds, which were wired to accounts nether their control.

Authorities said the strategy progressive properties crossed Los Angeles — including Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Westwood and Chinatown.

The defendants are Nazaret Chakrian, 65; Arnold Moradians, 57; Avetis Hekimyan, 38; Ross Tarkhan, 32; Tigran Hovanesian, 56; Armen Vardevaryan, 55; Craig Higdon, 66; Helen Spangler, 62; Victor Lossi, 43; Marine Sarkisian, 49; and Cynthia Borjas, 51.

FBI agents instrumentality a fishy into custody extracurricular a Hollywood mansion during a raid linked to an alleged $17.4 cardinal owe fraud strategy targeting aged homeowners. (FOX 11/KTTV)

Two of the suspects are overseas nationals — Moradians, an Iranian nationalist who has an outstanding warrant for removal from the United States, and Sarkisian, an Azerbaijani nationalist and greenish paper holder, prosecutors said.

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If convicted, the defendants look up to 20 years successful national situation for each fraud and wealth laundering count, on with a mandatory two-year consecutive condemnation for aggravated individuality theft.

The lawsuit is being investigated by the FBI-led Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force alongside IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and section instrumentality enforcement agencies.