On December 13, 2021, in the Central District of California, Vache Troy Barsamian was sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to negotiate stolen tax refund checks issued by the United States Department of the Treasury and the State of California. Barsamian previously pled guilty to one count of bank fraud on June 14, 2021.

According to the court documents, beginning on an unknown date and continuing through at least March 30, 2017, in Los Angeles County, California, and elsewhere, Barsamian executed a scheme to defraud Wells Fargo Bank. Barsamian obtained stolen United States Treasury and State of California tax refund checks and altered the payee line by adding his name. Barsamian and his coconspirators then deposited the altered checks into a Wells Fargo Bank checking account. In total, Barsamian and his coconspirators negotiated more than $21,000 in stolen United States Treasury and State of California tax refund checks.

Barsamian was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Barsamian was ordered to pay restitution of $22,965.90 and a special assessment fee of $100.00.

Source:  The facts in this case narrative come from the following publicly available documents: C.D. Cal., Indict., filed Dec. 13, 2019; C.D. Cal., Plea Agr., filed June 14, 2021; and C.D. Cal., J., filed December 15, 2021.