Four California gang members arrested in alleged murder-for-hire plot on Armenian organized crime boss

"Four people affiliated with San Fernando Valley street gangs were arrested and charged with participating in an alleged murder-for-hire plot against an Armenian organized crime boss who was allegedly involved in a power struggle to control territory, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Instead of killing the organized crime boss, the plot ended with his wife being shot and injured in front of their two children, authorities say."

"Robert Amiryan, a 47-year-old Hollywood resident and an Armenian Organized Crime leader, has allegedly been involved in a power struggle with another local leader, Ara Artuni, a 41-year-old Porter Ranch resident, since 2022, according to the DOJ. The rivals' desire to control their local territory has led to multiple assaults, murder attempts and a kidnapping. In retaliation for Artuni ordering him to be murdered multiple times, Amiryan conspired to kidnap and torture an associate of Artuni's in June 2023, authorities said."

"According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Armenian Organized Crime, a Russian Mafia and Mexican Mafia-affiliated transnational criminal organization, has made Los Angeles County a center of its U.S. operations, reads a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Artuni is charged with ordering Amiryan's murder multiple times in 2023, but it is an effort to do so that took place in March 2025 at the center of a federal criminal complaint that led to other arrests."

Four individuals tied to San Fernando Valley street gangs were arrested and charged in an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting an Armenian organized crime leader. The intended target survived, and the leader’s wife was shot and injured in front of their two children. The dispute involves a long-running power struggle between Robert Amiryan and Ara Artuni that began in 2022 and produced assaults, murder attempts and a kidnapping. Amiryan allegedly retaliated in June 2023 by kidnapping and torturing an associate of Artuni. Affidavits describe Armenian Organized Crime as a transnational group tied to Russian and Mexican Mafia networks operating in Los Angeles County. Federal complaints stemming from a March 2025 attempt triggered additional arrests.

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