Pandemic grifter, car thief sentenced to 17 years in federal prison

Granada Hills man sentenced to federal prison for COVID jobless benefit scam

A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced Friday to 17 1/2 years in federal prison for using stolen identities to obtain more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits, and for stealing title to dozens of cars by presenting forged documents to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Eduard Gasparyan, 38, of Granada Hills, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $2.23 mil…

Pandemic grifter, car thief sentenced to 17 years in federal prison

A Granada Hills man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for his role in a COVID-19 aid fraud scheme and stealing dozens of cars using fake documents. Eduard Gasparyan, 38, was sentenced to 210 months in prison and will have to pay more than $2.2 million in restitution, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Gasparyan, who also used the names "Rudy Pineda" and "Papin Galstyan," pleaded guilty in February 2023 to …