Citrus Heights Resident Sentenced To Prison For Credit Card Fraud And Manufacturing Marijuana

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — — Oganes Serobyan, 41, a resident of Citrus Heights, California, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley to over four years in prison for wire fraud and manufacturing marijuana, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, Serobyan established a sham business, Link & Work Holdings LLC, which purported to sell “e-books” online, but which, in fact, provided no goods or services.  Between November 2010 and May 2011, the company unlawfully made tens of thousands of unauthorized charges on American Express credit cards, which were ultimately credited to Link & Work Holdings’ bank account.  Bank surveillance footage showed the defendant making cash withdrawals from this account.  Over 26,000 American Express account numbers were unlawfully charged during the scheme, with approximately $392,000 in fraudulent charges.  When officers searched Serobyan’s home, they discovered an active marijuana grow on his property with plants in various stages of growth, in addition to dozens of one-gram vials of hashish oil.

Judge Nunley sentenced Serobyan to a total term of imprisonment of 51 months, and also ordered him to pay restitution to American Express in the amount of $392,519.21. 

This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Sacramento Valley Financial Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Beckwith prosecuted the case.

The court ordered the defendant to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on September 25, 2014.