RIVERSIDE, California – A San Gabriel Valley man was found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges, including conspiring with his employee to hire a hitman to kill two men – one who opposed him in litigation and the other who represented one of his companies in bankruptcy.
Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 54, of La Cañada Flintridge, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The federal jury also found Aslanian guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce.
According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, Aslanian conspired with Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, Aslanian’s employee, to hire a hitman to murder two people – identified in court documents as “M.Y.” and “S.E.”
M.Y. was a lawyer who represented Aslanian in a bankruptcy proceeding in which Aslanian had prevailed but then refused to pay over $261,000 in legal fees and expenses to M.Y.’s law firm. In April 2022, M.Y. sent a demand letter to Aslanian requesting to mediate the dispute and stating he was prepared to sue Aslanian if the mediation failed.
S.E. was a litigant who defeated Aslanian in court after Aslanian tried to take possession of the Brentwood home in which S.E.’s parents lived.
In April 2022, Rivera – Aslanian’s employee at...
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