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Armenian Organized Crime Gets More Complex

GLENDALE (AP) — Recently unsealed federal indictments have given a glimpse into the complex workings of Armenian organized crime.

The indictments in Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere allege that Armenian criminals set up elaborate scams to bilk the government out of millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicare claims.

While Glendale and other areas have seen a growth of Armenian gang crime, most crime in the community is carried out quietly and centers on sophisticated identity theft schemes and other white collar scams.

The indictments, released Wednesday, show how various cells, largely working on their own but often sharing techniques, set up fraudulent medical businesses using stolen physician identities.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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