15 FACE WELFARE FRAUD CHARGES SUSPECTS LIVED IT UP, INVESTIGATORS SAY.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Fifteen people suspected of filing more than $800,000 in fraudulent welfare claims while buying homes and businesses and taking luxury cruises are due to be arraigned today, district attorney's investigators said.

Investigators arrested the suspects Friday throughout Los Angeles County, including residents of Van Nuys, North Hollywood and Sunland.

Deputy District Attorney James Cosper, head deputy of the Welfare Fraud Division, said that, in several of the cases, the defendants owned homes, kept thousands of dollars in cash in their homes, owned businesses and enjoyed luxury cruises and vacations while collecting welfare payments.

In all, investigators estimate the suspects cost taxpayers $846,815 by filing false reports, Cosper said in a press release. Awaiting arraignment were:

--Van Nuys residents Aykui Arazdzhyan and Akop Terkazaryan, each charged with one count of welfare fraud and seven counts of perjury. The loss is $103,760, investigators claimed.

The defendants acquired their home in Van Nuys from Terkazaryan's brother in July 2001.

They also failed to report two automobiles, a 1998 Toyota and a 1996 Chevrolet Astro, to the county's Department of Public Social Services and failed to report employment income, said Cosper, adding that documents recovered during a search with a warrant indicate the defendants also took vacations to Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, Mexico.

--Glendale residents Karine Harutunian and Ambartsum Kouyoumdjian, each charged with one count of welfare fraud and six counts of perjury. The suspected loss is $85,832.

Karine applied for aid in July 1993, claiming that her husband, Ambartsum, was not living in the house even though he was, Cosper said.

They are accused of getting welfare while they bought their $205,000 home and a business, Diego's Auto Center, and sent their two children to private school for tuition of more than $5,000 a year. Serving a warrant, searchers found $18,500 in cash kept by the couple, Cosper said.

--Sunland residents Nelida and Gregory St. George, each charged with one count of welfare fraud. The suspected loss is $52,959.

Nelida St. George also is charged with four counts of perjury and one count of possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, according to the press release.

Gregory St. George is also charged with possession of cocaine and two counts of perjury.

The couple owned a 1998 Ford Expedition, a 2000 Nissan, a 2002 Ford Mustang, two motorcycles and a boat while they were collecting welfare payments, Cosper said.

Bank records show that $4,000 to $13,000 was deposited on a monthly basis into the St. Georges' various bank accounts, Cosper said. The couple ran St. George's Productions, a company that promoted concerts.

--North Hollywood residents Marine Djoulfaian and Martin Karabouloutan, each charged with one count of welfare fraud and three counts of perjury. That suspected loss amounted to $46,167, according to the press release.

The defendants are accused of failing to report earned income and the purchase and transfer of several automobiles. They also took a Royal Caribbean cruise and vacations to Hawaii and Canada while collecting welfare payments, Cosper said.

--Rosemead residents Nga Bich Nguyen and Quoc Tran, each charged with one count of welfare fraud and seven counts of perjury. The suspected loss was tallied at $70,120.

The defendants failed to report that they had bank accounts and jewelry, owned a home in Rosemead and got insurance settlements, Kosper said.

Investigators who executed a search warrant last October found $8,000 in cash in their home and $20,000 in a case in their safe deposit box, Cosper said.

The couple took a Carnival Cruise Lines vacation in October, and investigators also discovered an airline ticket for Nguyen to travel to Taipei in January 2003, Cosper said.

--El Monte resident Loan Kim Ly, charged with welfare fraud and 15 counts of perjury. That suspected loss is $44,204.

The defendant applied for aid in 1992, claiming that she did not know the whereabouts of her child's father. She continued to receive aid, Cosper said, while the man, who owns a restaurant, was living with her and the child starting in August 1997.

--Alhambra residents Kelly Nham and Jeffrey Hsu, each charged with one count of welfare fraud and eight counts of perjury in the suspected loss to taxpayers of $202,446.

The defendants were operating a fashion business known as AK Fashions and had built a 2,800-square-foot custom home, investigators said. Investigators recovered $53,000 in cash and $61,440 in cashier's checks while executing a search warrant at their home, Cosper said.

--El Monte residents Phoebe Ta, Co Du Duong, Leslie Duong and Lien Duong, charged with 21 counts, including conspiracy, welfare fraud, grand theft and perjury. The loss is $241,347 in welfare and housing benefits, according to the press release.

Ta and Co Duong, who are married, bought a house with a $50,000 down payment while on welfare. On a life insurance policy application, Co Duong reported an income of $30,000 and assets worth $250,000, Cosper said, but failed to report income from a furniture business on welfare forms.

Troy Anderson, [phone]

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com