LOS ANGELES
The United States is seeking the forfeiture of a more than 30,000-square-foot mega-mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, officials announced Thursday.
The civil forfeiture complaint filed alleges that the mansion was purchased with bribes paid by an Armenian businessman to the family of Gagik Khachatryan, a former high-ranking Armenian public official.
Gagik Khachatryan, 66, who was known as the “Super Minister,” because of his significant responsibilities, served as Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia from 2008 to 2014 and as Minister of Finance for the Republic of Armenia from 2014 to 2016.
In the complaint, which was filed Monday in U.S. District Court for Central California, prosecutors allege that businessman Sedrak Arustamyan paid Khachatryan and his family more than $20 million in bribes in exchange for the favorable tax treatment of his businesses.
The bribe payments allegedly were used to purchase the Holmby Hills property, which had been recently listed for sale for $63.5 million.
Gagik Khachatryan and his sons are charged in Armenia with receiving bribes in violation of the criminal code of the Republic of Armenia, officials allege.
Criminal charges are also pending in Armenia against Arustamyan for paying bribes.