Leader of “Pure Armenian Blood” Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Racketeering and Multimillion-Dollar Fraud

www.Justice.gov,  Press Release, March 14, 2024

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NAREK MARUTYAN and SARO MOURADIAN, a/k/a “Paul Mouradian,” were sentenced today to six years and 10 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a multi-year, coast-to-coast credit card fraud scheme run by a racketeering enterprise referred to as “Pure Armenian Blood” or “P.A.B.”  MARUTYAN, a leader of the P.A.B., previously pled guilty to participating in a racketeering conspiracy on June 12, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang, and MOURADIAN, who owned and operated a Florida-based business that was used by the P.A.B. to run sham credit card charges, previously pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit access device fraud on August 17, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine H. Parker.  U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero imposed today’s sentences.   

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Pure Armenian Blood’s members enriched themselves and their criminal associates for almost a decade through fraudulent schemes that involved stealing others’ identities and spending millions of dollars of other people’s money as though there were no consequences.  As a leader of the sophisticated, organized criminal enterprise, Narek Marutyan orchestrated these schemes and reaped the ill-gotten gains.  He now faces years in prison for his crime.  This prosecution reaffirms our unwavering commitment to combating organized crime in all its forms.”

According to the Indictment, public filings, and statements made during court proceedings: Continue Press Release