LOS ANGELES – Multiple residents of the San Fernando Valley and Glendale are among more than a dozen defendants facing federal charges alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $25 million in COVID-19 relief funds and federally guaranteed small business loans, officials announced Wednesday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, those arrested Wednesday include:
— Sarkis Sarkisyan, 37, of Glendale, who allegedly submitted a false application and bogus documents to obtain a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided low-interest, forgivable loans to help small businesses retain their workforce and cover expenses. Sarkisyan allegedly applied in April 2021 on behalf of a fake business that received more than $700,000 in PPP funds;…