FORMER ARMENIA WRESTLING CHAMP FOUND GUILTY OF KIDNAPPING BUSINESS ASSOCIATE IN CALIFORNIA
Associated Press
9:15 PM PDT, May 10, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)
A former Armenia wrestling champion has been convicted of kidnapping
a man, beating him and demanding $1 million ransom.
A federal jury in Los Angeles found Vagan Adzhemyan (EDZ’-ih-mee-an)
guilty on Monday. His first trial last year ended with a mistrial
after the jury deadlocked.
The 42-year-old Adzhemyan admitted kidnapping Sandro Karmryan,
beating him, shocking him with a stun gun, holding him captive for
days and demanding a $1 million ransom from his family. Authorities
say the kidnapping conspiracy ended with a SWAT team rescue of the
near-death victim.
The Armenian-born Adzhemyan argued his actions were necessary because
Karmryan was plotting to have him killed because he knew about an
alleged loan scam.
Adzhemyan was a champion wrestler in Armenia and the Soviet Union in
the 1980s.
His friend Galvin Gibson also was convicted in the plot.
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Khondkarian Raffi. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2010/05/12/former-armenia-wrestling-champ-found-guilty-of-kidnapping-business-a/