|
 |
|
|
|||
|
 |
|
Apr. 10, 2023
KABC TV reports: LOS ANGELES -- A former leader of the Armenian mafia in Los Angeles was sentenced to 40 years in prison Friday for his role in a billion dollar scheme to rip off American taxpayers. Lev Aslan Dermen, also known as Levon "The Lion" Termendzhyan, was convicted of conspiring with members of a polygamous sect in Utah known as "The Order" in one of the most audacious tax frauds in history. He was found guilty after a seven-week trial of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Dermen was a Bel Air billionaire and gas station tycoon when he joined forces with members of the polygamous Kingston clan. According to the Department of Justice, court documents and testimony from Dermen's 2020 trial show that from 2010 to 2018, Dermen conspired with various members of the Kingston family to fraudulently claim more than $1 billion in refundable renewable fuel tax credits. The IRS ultimately paid out more than $511 million in credits to Washakie Renewable Energy, a Utah biodiesel company owned by Jacob and Isaiah Kingston. The Kingstons distributed the fraud proceeds among themselves and Dermen, the DOJ said. Jacob Kingston, 46, took a plea deal and testified against Dermen, telling jurors they had more money than they could launder, so they started buying luxury items like Lamborghinis and Bugattis along with private jets, yachts and mansions in Turkey, Utah and Huntington Beach. To read the entire report click here. To read the Justice Department's report Tweet |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
