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JUSTICE NEWS

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Three Individuals Indicted for Visa Fraud Scheme for Profit

Defendants Allegedly Provided Armenian Nationals with Fake Dance Certificates and Staged Photos in Traditional Costumes to Qualify for P-3 Visa Program for Entertainers

Three individuals were indicted in the Eastern District of New York for their alleged roles in a multi-year visa fraud scheme that brought Armenian citizens into the United States for profit.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue of the Eastern District of New York and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christian J. Schurman for U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security and Director for Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), made the announcement.

Stella Boyadjian, 47, of Rego Park, New York; Hrachya Atoyan, 30, of Glendale, California; and Diana Grigoryan aka “Dina Akopovna,” 41, of the Republic of Armenia, were charged in a 15-count indictment unsealed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn with multiple counts of visa fraud and with conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit visa fraud, and illegally bring aliens into the United States. Boyadjian and Grigoryan are also charged with related money laundering charges, and Boyadjian is charged with aggravated identity theft. Boyadjian was arraigned yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein. Atoyan’s initial appearance for removal proceedings to the Eastern District of New York is scheduled for later today, in the Central District of California.