OK… WHY IS THIS RESURFACING NOW. I THOUGHT THEY ALREADY RECEIVED
THE MONEY. I REMEMBER POSTING IT A MONTH AGO.
KAY
Business Wire (press release), CA
Feb 23 2005
Four California Armenian Charities to Receive $333,000 Each from a
$20 Million Class Action Settlement
For Monday (Feb. 28)
PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 23, 2005–
WHAT: Ceremony in which four California Armenian charities will
receive $333,000 each from a $20 million class action
settlement between New York Life and descendants of the
1915
Armenian Genocide.
WHEN: Monday, February 28, 2005, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: 215 South Grand Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105 (residence)
DIRECTIONS: 134 Freeway North, exit and turn right on Orange
Grove
Blvd., turn right on West Green Street; turn left on
South Grand Ave.
WHO: Martin Marootian, age 89 and lead plaintiff in the class
action against New York Life, class attorneys Brian S.
Kabateck, Vartkes Yeghiayan, Mark J. Geragos and William
Shernoff, California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi,
Bill Werfelman from New York Life and representatives from
the Armenian charities
The four organizations receiving $333,000 each are:
— Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese, Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian, Burbank, California
— Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Los Angeles, California
— Armenian Educational Foundation, Glendale, California
— Armenian Relief Society, Maro Minassian, Anahid Meymerian,
Watertown, Mass. (headquarters)
Background: Before 1915, New York Life sold life insurance policies
to thousands of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. New York Life
policyholders were among the 1.5 million Armenians massacred during
the Armenian Genocide at that time. In the ensuing chaos, many of the
rightful policy heirs were unable to obtain insurance proceeds while
others were unaware that they were entitled to benefits. During
litigation, New York Life acknowledged its records indicated an
estimated 2,400 policies sold to Armenians before the Genocide may
remain unpaid. The class includes Armenians living in the United
States and abroad who are descendants and heirs of policyholders.
They will share the bulk of the settlement.
Legal and Political Significance: The class action is the oldest
resolved case in U.S. history–90 years have passed between the
original events and the settlement. It is also the first recorded
case addressing issues involving the Armenian Genocide. The United
States and Turkish governments have never officially acknowledged the
Armenian Genocide despite overwhelming evidence and eyewitness
accounts. In direct contrast, a private company (New York Life)
acknowledged the tragedy and fulfilled its obligation to the victims.
The class action was originally filed in November 1999 in Federal
District Court in Los Angeles (Martin Marootian, et al. v. New York
Life Insurance Company). Class co-counsel includes California
attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP, Vartkes
Yeghiayan, Yeghiayan & Associates, Mark J. Geragos, Geragos & Geragos
and William Shernoff, Shernoff, Bidart & Darras.
Deadline: Descendants have until March 15, 2005 to make a claim for a
portion of the settlement. Details are available at