THREE CHARGED FOR ALLEGEDLY CONDUCTING TRUCKING FRAUD

Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today the indictment of three individuals involved in a conspiracy to defraud trucking companies. Those individuals include:

Rubik Avetyan, age 53, of Sunland, California;
Allen Avetyan, age 32, of Sunland, California; and
Alfred Avetyan, age 28, of Porter Ranch, California.

According to U.S. Attorney Pfannenschmidt, beginning in July 2008 and continuing through May 2008, the defendants allegedly conspired to create a motor carrier, State Transport, Inc., in Harrisburg, by using false and altered identification. They then used the State Transport name to engage in a “double brokering” scheme. This is done by obtaining a load from a truck brokerage firm for transport. Then, using a different firm name, the load is brokered out to a legitimate carrier. Once payment is received from the brokerage firm, the defendants failed to pay the carrier that actually transported the load, and neither the brokerage firm or the carrier that transported the load knew that it had been double brokered.

In addition to the conspiracy charges, the defendants have also been charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and criminal forfeiture.

If convicted of all charges, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment.

This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Pennsylvania State Police; and Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. The case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amy Phillips for prosecution.

****

An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.