Last week, investigative journalists Appo Jabarian and Vosgan Mekhitarian held a televised conversation on USA Armenian Life TV broadcast via AMGA channel.
In his opening remarks, USA Armenian Life TV executive producer and host Appo Jabarian asked: “Why these investigative series on intra-national Armenian corruption? How did corruption negatively impact Armenian life before, during and after Fall 2020’s 44-Day War?”
USA Armenian Life has been receiving massive response from readers and TV viewers expressing overwhelming support for the continuation of the type of investigative reporting by a contingent of dedicated journalists in United States, Armenia and around the world.
Jabarian stated: “In light of the disastrous outcome of the 44-Day war, many Diaspora and Homeland Armenians feel that they’ve had it with the former Soviet/Ottoman mindset among certain Armenian male-chauvinistic, ignorant, self-centered, egomaniacs, unpatriotic, un-Armenian elements both in Armenia and Diaspora.”
Jabarian continued: “Many are now convinced that the three former regime kleptomaniacs – former Presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan with Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II along with his clansmen such as Western Diocese primate Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Moscow’s Arch. Yezras have perpetrated treason against the Armenian nation. Their treasonous acts range from acts of sabotage of Armenia/Artsakh’s war efforts behind the front line, cutting off military supply by bribed Army general officers; corrupt army general officers’ unwarranted withdrawal of Armenian army units from strategic positions; old regime assets’ false propaganda designed to demoralize Armenian frontline soldiers, to massive misappropriation of funds from Diaspora designated for the twin Armenian republics’ economic development and humanitarian mission.”
He added: “Therefore, it’s fair to say that these destructive elements have backstabbed their own people during the Fall 2020’s 44-Day Anti-Armenian Aggression by Azerbaijan-Turkey-ISIS, in return for personal fortune. I am of firm belief now that the Armenians have not lost the war against the external enemy, but to treason!”
He underlined: “In the post-44 period, personally, I have enlisted myself in the Armenian National Reconstruction Army (this army does not exist on paper but it has a de facto existence throughout the globe.). Like thousands of devoted Armenian soldiers, stationed Armenia/Artsakh and Diaspora, I am dead set on forcefully participating in the eradication of the traitors within our Armenian Nation (Homeland and Diaspora). If they’re not eliminated, we will lose all our future wars — and ultimately, Armenia will lose its sovereignty. The march is on.”
Why do we focus periodically on Arch. Hovnan Derderian?
Because Arch. Derderian is directly involved in the numerous acts of misappropriation of funds, such as.
THE $450,000-SCANDAL: New York Life/AXA lead attorney Mark Geragos had claimed to have ‘transferred’ to the Catholicosate of All Armenians at the Holy See of Etchmiadzin through the Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian. But officials at the Catholicosate of All Armenians denied receiving such funds;
CHECK FRAUD: New York Life/AXA insurance Genocide victim’s settlement funds misappropriation. As seen in the photo of checks published by the Los Angeles Times, money was collected under false names, and the payees were not even aware that money was written under their name.
One of the checks was made payable to a fictitious name “Ashot Mkhitarian” in the amount of $51,750.00. The real Ashot Mkhitarian insisted that he was unaware of a check being negotiated on his behalf.
Another fraudulent check was written in the name of a “Zaven Halepian” in the amount of $41,400.00. The real Zaven Halepian stated that he did not received any such funds.
And who was complicit in this fraud?
Facilitator of fraudulent checks’ cashing by now disbarred former attorney Berj Boyajian through a corrupt banker at Pacific Western Bank Avo Avedis Markarian’s assistance. Avo Avedis Markarian has long been a close ally of Arch. Hovnan Derderian, who was an official of Pacific Western Bank;
LOOTING OF 1ST ARTSAKH WAR FALLEN SOLDIER’S WIDOWS AND OPRPHAN AID FUND in CANADA: While he was the primate the Canada Diocese, Arch. Derderian misappropriated thousands of dollars from that fund.
ALAVJIAN CATERING AT WESTERN DIOCESE SCANDAL:
In a blatant violation of a long-term lease agreement between Western Diocese and benefactors and investors in the Alavjian Catering Mr. Harout Aga-Sarkisian and Harout Hallajian, one Friday in mid-2004, Arch. Derderian changed the door locks and urged the owners not to enter the hall “otherwise,” Arch. Derderian “would call the Police on you and get you arrested.”
Aga Sarkisian and Hallajian initiated a lawsuit against Arch. Derderian and the Western Diocese. When another benefactor warned Derderian that by going to court Derderian would be defeated causing huge embarrassment to the Armenian Church.
Arch. Derderian dismissed such concerns saying that he wouldn’t mind and that he would cash in big moneys.
Arch. Derderian and the Western Diocese lost the court case.
ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD A BENEFACTOR OUT OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS: In another scandalous attempt to defraud a benefactor out of tens of millions of dollars, an American Judge in the California Superior Court declared as ‘liars’ Arch. Derderian, pastor Manouk Markaryan and his son, the Executive Director of the Western Diocese, Harout Markaryan.
ARCH. DERDERIAN EXPELLED FROM CILICIA CATHOLICOSATE IN LEBANON FOR BREAKING HIS CELIBACY VOWS. HE WAS CAUGHT IN ENGAGING ILLEGAL SEXUAL ACTS:
In the 1970’s as young boy, when playing with his neighborhood peers, the young Derderian’s mother received complaints from other mothers for his son Vahram later renamed Hovnan’s sexual pass at other boys. Hovnan’s mother decides to cover up his sexual tendencies by enlisting him as a young student-priest for celibate priesthood. But he gets caught in an illegal sexual act. He gets expelled from the convent. His mother takes him to Holy See of Etchmiadzin. At that time Armenia and Holy See of Etchmiadzin were under Soviet occupation they had severe shortage of students for priesthood. So, they accepted him in. Under Soviet rule, Holy See of Etchmiadzin was infested by some bishops who reportedly molested young priests. So, “these bishops welcomed Derderian with open arms.”
To top it all, reportedly, Arch. Derderian has also been accused of child molestation: See media inquiry on page.
Top lawmakers demand investigation of corruption in Armenian genocide victim payments
U.S. Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) and Anna Eshoo (D-Menlo Park), the only Armenian Americans in Congress, along with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said they were disgusted by misconduct The Times detailed in a recent report.
Many American Armenians demand that a full investigation should be completed as proposed by the American elected officials; and that the FBI as well as the U.S. Department of Justice should oversee a thoruogh investigation and that all the people who were complicit in the crimes, such as Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Parsegh Kartalian, Avo Avedis Markarian and the now disbarred former lawyer Berj Boyajian should be brought to justice, so that such acts would not be repeated in the future.
It is no coincidence that over several years, Parsegh Kartalian, Avo Avedis Markarian and the now disbarred former lawyer Berj Boyajian maintained close ties and collaboration with Arch. Hovnan Derderian.
Another renowned attorney Brian Kabateck also has had close ties with Hovnan Derderian.
Brian Kabateck and Mark Geragos are under investigation by the California State Bar Review Board. In the past, many lawyers were disbarred due to violations.
See photo: Arch. Hovnan Derderian and his longtime ally Accused Attorney Brian Kabateck.
Investigative journalist Vosgan Mekhitarian stated: “We constantly reiterate this one indisputable truth: that the Armenian Church is the sole force that led our nation throughout the troubled years when we lost our political independence. The Armenian Church molded the spiritual character of our nation and kept our identity intact to parallel the exercise of our political powers.”
Mekhitarian added: “The Armenian clergy of today regard their profession in strictly secular terms with an eye for personal gain. This mutation of the original calling to serve God and His faithful is a direct result of the commercial climate created by the self-serving actions of the most powerful in the hierarchy of the Armenian Church, specially, since Karekin II Catholicos was “elected” to the highest seat. Members of the clergy have become businessmen in every conceivable field–from dealing in diamond to real estate, from trading in the stock market to investment expertise, and bankrolling even in the most risqué ventures.”
Mekhitarian underlined: “Today the Armenian Church is, by and large, contemptuous of the needy and only seeks to propagate an obsequious relationship with the wealthy. Lured by the opulent lifestyles of the rich, this unacceptable behavior continues to permeate our motherland also–where, 34 years after the devastating earthquake in Gyumri, Armenia, our brothers and sisters still brave winter’s harsh conditions in shanty towns comprised of hovels and metal shacks.”
Mekhitarian concluded: “Since his fraudulent election, Karekin II Catholicos did not fight against social injustice, did not defend the weak. The end result of such behavior was that the public disassociated itself from the Church and followed strange sects that promised wealth and prosperity. It is high time for clergy to renew their vows and reestablish their nexus to God and His faithful.”