ARMENIA: LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION WITH U.S.

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000070 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC AND INL/AAE (SNYDER) TBILISI FOR LEGATT (KIRBY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC SOCI PINS AM SUBJECT: ARMENIA: LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION WITH U.S. CONTINUES TO IMPROVE Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Treat Accordingly. Not for Internet. Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Law enforcement cooperation with Armenia continued to improve in 2006, with concrete key successes despite a complex environment and the lack of a formal bilateral legal framework. Fugitive investigations continued to be the most fruitful area of cooperation, but GOAM cooperation in an ongoing major international cyber crime case was also important. Five fugitives from U.S. justice were arrested in Armenia, and two were transferred to U.S. custody to face trial. Two fugitives were indicted in Armenia on U.S. murder charges; one case resulted in conviction while the other is still pending. Information provided by the GOAM helps to advance investigations into Eurasian organized crime groups based in Southern California. U.S. cooperation resulted in the apprehension and deportation to Armenia of fugitives sought by Armenian authorities. Key Armenian institutions working with USG officials are the Prosecutor General's office (PG),the National Security Service (NSS) and the Armenian police. Lack of resources to manage speedy translation of U.S. evidentiary documents is a hindrance, as is the lack of a full-time LEGATT in Yerevan, but we expect this level of cooperation to continue. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) One of the few negative consequences of strong links between the Armenian community in the U.S. and their ethnic homeland is that criminals seek to exploit the absence of institutionalized bilateral law enforcement cooperation to avoid justice. Through the efforts of various U.S. and Armenian organizations, we are working to make this more difficult, and to ensure that the long arm of the law reaches all the way from Glendale, California to Yerevan and back again. On the U.S. side, we are fortunate to have well-established cooperation, now led by our Legal Attache Office (based in Tbilisi) with full engagement by post's Regional Security Office. Glendale PD, LAPD, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and other federal and local agencies work directly with us on specific cases. Cooperation is so well-developed that our Consular Section's anti-fraud unit has a terminal which links them directly to Glendale PD's database. While in the past, criminals have sought refuge in the fact that Armenia's constitution prohibits extradition of its citizens, the PG's office now works to prosecute these suspects based on U.S. evidence. ¶3. (SBU) The U.S. Mission has several assistance programs with the PG's office and with the police, but they are kept entirely separate from requests for law enforcement cooperation so as to remove the possibility of misunderstanding a request for assistance as part of a "quid pro quo" arrangement. ¶4. (SBU) At our request, LEGATT Tbilisi assembled a report of key elements of law enforcement cooperation from 2006. The full report was sent via email to EUR/CARC; highlights are included below. (Note: Some of this information relates to ongoing investgations or judicial proceedings which are not complete and should be treated as Law Enforcement Sensitive. End Note.) FUGITIVE INVESTIGATIONS -------------- One of the most productive areas of Law Enforcement cooperation is the location, arrest and return of fugitives. The FBI tracks the number of U.S. fugitives who are believed to be in Armenia, as well as the number of Armenian fugitives believed to be in the U.S. As of January 2007, the number of tracked fugitives is 67, which includes those already returned to their country of origin. During 2006, the FBI located two Armenian fugitives in the U.S., and returned one who was wanted for attempted murder. The Armenian Services located 18 U.S. fugitives. Of those, they arrested 5, and thus far have returned 3. One of the 18 was convicted in Armenia for the murder he committed in the U.S., and another is pending trial for murder. Two of the 18 died of natural causes before they were arrested by the Armenians. It should be noted that the disparity in the number of U.S. fugitives located by the Armenian Services and those arrested is not the fault of Armenian Services. Due to the lack of an extradition treaty, the Armenian Government can only deport those fugitives who are not Armenian Citizens, or who have dual citizenship in both Armenia and the U.S. The Prosecutor General Offices however, offers in all cases to indict the individuals in Armenia for the crimes committed in the U.S. Thus far, the PG's Office has indicted two individuals for murder, one of whom was convicted, the other pending trial, and is currently reviewing U.S. evidence in order to indict a third fugitive for burglary. The most significant hindrance to Armenian prosecution is the lack of dedicated language translators. The FBI is currently attempting to address this problem. SARO TSATURYAN - In October 2006, the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) advised they located Saro Gevorg Tsaturyan in Armenia. Tsaturyan is wanted by the Glendale SIPDIS Police Department for two counts of First Degree Residential Burglary and two counts of Grand Theft of Personal Property. Tsaturyan and his Armenian co-conspirators have burglarized SIPDIS numerous homes of ethnic Armenians in Los Angeles county. The FBI has investigated him for various organized crime related offenses, to include special interest alien smuggling. On 17 November 2006, the National Security Service of Armenia arrested Tsaturyan. Tsaturyan is a permanent legal resident of the United States and fled the country before being prosecuted for his crimes. The Prosecutor General's Office advised that the Government of Armenia cannot compel Tsaturyan to return to the U.S. for trial, but offered to prosecute him in Armenia for the crimes he committed in the U.S. Legatt has initiated contact with Glendale Police Department for the foreign prosecution. Legatt coordinated with U.S. Embassy translator who is currently translating the documents necessary for indictment in Armenia. ANAIT ZAKARIAN - At the request of LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca, who was recently in Yerevan, Armenia, Legat submitted a request to the Armenian authorities to locate and arrest Anait Zakarian. Zakarian is wanted for murder by Glendale Police. She is also wanted by the LA County Sheriff's Department for escape from an LASO prison before her murder trial. The Armenian National Security Service advised Legat that Zakarian moved from Armenia to Moscow and now resides there. Based on this information, Glendale PD will seek an Interpol Red Notice and pursue her arrest in Russia. NERSES CHAMICHYAN - During July 2006, unidentified subjects kidnaped, assaulted, then released U.S. Citizen Gevorg Chamichyan, in Yerevan, Armenia. Chamichyan's cousin in Los Angeles phoned the American Embassy in Yerevan to report the crime. Legatt coordinated with RSO section which linked up with Gevorg Chamichyan upon his release from captivity. Conoff ensured Gevorg Chamichyan filed a complete police report with Legatt's liaison contacts in the Police of the Republic of Armenia. Because the Armenian police made no translator available, Conoff acted as translator during police and PG interrogations. While the Consular Section coordinated the return of Gevorg Chamichyan to the U.S., Gevorg's brother, Nerses Chamichyan, showed up to assist. Nerses Chamichyan, an Armenian citizen with lapsed Legal Permanent Resident status in the U.S., is wanted for attempted murder in Los Angeles. The Chamichyans belong to an organized crime group which is battling with another group in Los Angeles. Gevorg's kidnapping was conducted in an attempt to discourage his family members from testifying in a Los Angeles attempted murder trial. The RSO and Consular Officer coordinated Chamichyan's travel documents. LAPD Detective George Shamlyan, who was in Yerevan conducting case coordination on two unrelated investigations, agreed to escort Chamichyan to LA. On 29 October 2006, Nerses Chamichyan arrived at LAX airport and was taken into custody by the Glendale, California Police Department without incident. Since his return, Chamichyan testified in a significant Organized Crime trial which resulted in convictions on all counts. ARTUR KHANZADYAN - In September 2005, Artur Khanzadyan brutally murdered his girlfriend and left her in the trunk of his automobile in Glendale, California. By the time the body was discovered several days later, police officers determined Khanzadyan had fled the U.S. Approximately three weeks later, pursuant to Legatt's request, the National Security Service of Armenia located and arrested Khanzadyan. Due to Khanzadyan's status as an Armenian Citizen, the Armenian courts ruled repeatedly that he could not be compelled to return to the U.S. As a result of these rulings, the Prosecutor General of Armenia charged Khanzadyan with murder in Armenia. The Glendale Police Department translated their investigative case file and evidence which was passed to the Armenian government. Khanzadyan's trial began on August 22, 2006 in Armenia. Together with Conoff, two detectives from Glendale Police Department attended the trial, as did the victim's father. On August 25, 2006, the court convicted Khanzadyan for murder and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. VAHAGN AKOPYAN - On April 4, 2006, the National Security Service arrested Vahagn Akopyan who is wanted for murder in Los Angeles, CA. Due to his Armenian Citizenship, the Armenian Government cannot compel Akopyan to return to the U.S. However, the Prosecutor General subsequently indicted Akopyan in Armenia for the U.S. murder. The FBI turned over the complete translated case file to the Prosecutor General's Office in December 2006. Akopyan's trial is currently pending. HAROUT BEKARIAN - On 20 June 2001, pursuant to an FBI investigation, the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California indicted Harout Bekarian for mail fraud, health care fraud, bribery and conspiracy to launder money. When LA FBI agents attempted to arrest Bekarian, they learned he had already fled to Armenia. On 10 May 2006, the National Security Service of Armenia arrested Harout Bekarian. Incident to arrest, Bekarian, who is an Armenian Citizen, advised he would voluntarily return to the U.S. for trial. On 2 September 2006, the NSS transferred custody of Bekarian to Glendale, California Police Department Detectives Craig Tweedy and Tigran Topadzikian. The Detectives were in Yerevan in order to attend the trial of Artur Khanzadyan. On 2 September, the Detectives transferred custody of Bekarian to the FBI at the Los Angeles International Airport. Within weeks of his return to the U.S., Harout Bekarian pled guilty to health care fraud and conspiracy in Los Angeles. Sentencing is scheduled for January 2007. ANUSHAVAN MARTIROSYAN - In mid-2006, Glendale Police Department requested Legat attempt to locate Anushavan Martirosyan in Armenia. Martirosyan drove the getaway vehicle during a recent murder in Glendale, California. The Armenian NSS initiated a search at Legat's request. The NSS advised Legat that Martirosyan is living in Moscow, Russia. The NSS provided Martirosyan's home telephone number. The NSS also provided flight time and number for Martirosyan's mother and brother who flew to Moscow to visit him in October ¶2006. Legat advised Glendale Police and Legat Moscow. Glendale Police intend to indict Martirosyan as soon as possible and obtain an Interpol Red Notice and UFAP warrant through FBI Los Angeles. ARTUR YERANOSYAN - The Police of the Republic of Armenia approached Legat Tbilisi on 12 May regarding an organized crime related shooting which occurred in Yerevan the previous day. An ICE lookout determined the subject, Arthur Yeranosyan was en route to Los Angeles. FBI Los Angeles coordinated with BICE who detained Yeranosyan upon arrival at LAX. On 25 May, a KLM contract guard escorted Yeranosyan to Amsterdam and then onto a connecting flight to Yerevan. Armenian Federal Police arrested Yeranosyan without incident upon his arrival at Zvarnots International Airport in Yerevan. Los Angeles FBI sent Legat Tbilisi toll information for Yeranosyan's mobile telephone. The cell site information for the mobile phone precisely mirrors Yeranosyan's movement, before during and after the shooting. The Police of the Republic of Armenia and the Prosecutor General's Office were both appreciative for the evidence. CYBER CRIME INVESTIGATIONS -------------- GEVORG MKRTCHYAN - This investigation targets a cyber criminal enterprise with members operating in Yerevan, Armenia; Moscow, Russia; Spain; and New York. The sophisticated criminal enterprise which is headed by an Armenian in Yerevan, hacks into commercial and individuals' bank accounts and transfers money to various bank accounts around the world. Criminal associates in these countries then withdraw the money and distribute it to other members of the organization. Legatt has worked closely with the NSS since the inception of the investigation. Legatt and NSS personnel traveled together to Spain to coordinate with Law Enforcement Officers conducting the Spanish portion of the investigation. The FBI offices in New York and Milwaukee are also actively engaged in the investigation. The FBI anticipates that subjects in Spain, Armenia, and the U.S. will be arrested in early 2007. MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATIONS -------------- HAYK STEPANYAN - This investigation was initially opened in order to respond to a simple request in support of an Armenian Prosecutor General's Office case. In furtherance of a money laundering investigation, the PG's office requested Legat provide information on two Arkansas based companies which had transferred USD 50,000.00 to the subject of their investigation. When Little Rock FBI pursued the lead, the companies were determined to be shell companies under investigation by FBI Portland. In December 2006, two Portland FBI agents traveled to Yerevan and met the investigator assigned to the Armenian investigation. Portland agents determined that the two investigations are directly linked, and will be provided copies of all Armenian evidence which will assist the FBI. The meeting resulted in new leads for domestic FBI field offices and valuable intelligence which will be disseminated via EC. COUNTERTERRORISM ARTUR SOLOMONYAN - This FBI investigation resulted in the indictment and arrest of individuals who were attempting to smuggle military weapons from Armenia to the U.S. The Armenian NSS arrested two of the individuals involved in this plot. One of them was immediately turned over to the U.S. This individual has since been convicted in U.S. Federal Court. The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia intends to indict the second subject in Armenia upon completion of all the U.S. trials. GODFREY