A head of a fraudulent ring located in Los Angeles that took $18 million in COVID-19 assistance money was transferred to the US on Monday from Europe, where she might spend over ten years in prison, according to investigators.
Tamara Dadyan, 41, was allegedly given over to the U.S. Marshals Service at an airport in Podgorica, the Balkan country’s capital, according to Montenegrin police, the Los Angeles Times stated. After her imprisonment in 2021 but before reporting to prison, she disappeared after entering a guilty plea to 3 charges.
Federal authorities claim that Dadyan, her sister, brother-in-law, and 5 other people illegally filed for 150 loans meant to assist companies and workers who were having difficulty during the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown.
As per the prosecution, they submitted applications under false names, names associated with the deceased, the old, or foreign exchange students, and they supported the submissions with false tax and payroll records.
According to the authorities, the revenue was utilized to pay down payments on luxurious properties in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Tarzana, the Palm Desert, and suburban Glendale, as well as to purchase amenities like designer bags, gold coins, and jewelry.
