A California couple who were convicted of running a scheme that defrauded the government of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds cut their electronic bracelets and fled while awaiting sentencing, officials said last week.
Richard Ayvazyan, 43, and his wife, Marietta Terabelian, 37, used false identifies to claim money that was meant for small businesses and individuals who had suffered pandemic-related losses, according to federal prosecutors.
