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Former Armenian Consul Among Those Charged With Helping Illegal Immi

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  • Former Armenian Consul Among Those Charged With Helping Illegal Immi

    FORMER ARMENIAN CONSUL AMONG THOSE CHARGED WITH HELPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AVOID DEPORTATION
    Alexandra Zavis

    Los Angeles Times
    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/0 7/suspects-charged-with-helping-illegal-immigrants -avoid-deportation.html
    July 28 2009

    Five people, including a former Armenian consul in Los Angeles and
    a Beverly Hills immigration attorney, have been arrested on charges
    that they sold official letters to illegal immigrants to help them
    avoid deportation, prosecutors said today.

    The arrests, which took place in the last 24 hours, were the result
    of a two-year investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs
    Enforcement agency.

    The five are accused of supplying so-called letters of refusal from
    the Armenian Consulate for as much as $35,000 apiece, according to
    a statement from the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District
    of California.

    These letters state that a country will not issue a travel document
    for a particular individual, essentially blocking that person's
    deportation to that nation.

    Investigators believe many of those who purchased the letters were
    Armenian nationals facing deportation after being convicted of felony
    offenses in the United States.

    "These defendants endangered the safety and security of United States
    residents," U.S Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said in the statement.

    "The defendants allegedly exploited their community ties and knowledge
    of the immigration system to help dangerous criminals, among others,
    avoid deportation," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of
    the ICE Office of Investigations in Los Angeles.

    The five defendants were identified as:

    Norair Ghalumian, 52, of Burbank, the Armenian consul in Los Angeles
    from 1999 through 2003.

    Hakop Hovanesyan, 54, of Glendale, a former employee at the Armenian
    Consulate in Los Angeles and current operator of Regency Travel
    in Glendale.

    Margarita Lazarian, 41, of Glendale, an immigration attorney for
    Inman & Associates law firm in Beverly Hills, Calif., who was arrested
    last night.

    Oganes Nardos, 36, of Valencia, a substance abuse counselor.

    Elvis Madatyan, 47, of Glendale.

    They are expected to make initial appearances this afternoon in United
    States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
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