Glendale Couple Charged with Felony in Nordstrom $300,000 Fraud Case
Arrests Made in Glendale Retail Fraud Scheme
GLENDALE, Calif. – Two individuals, Arpineh Sarkisian, 40, and Argin Gharapetian, 32, have been arrested by Glendale police in connection with a fraudulent scheme involving the return of counterfeit luxury goods to Nordstrom. Authorities allege that the duo purchased authentic designer items online, only to later return counterfeit replicas for refunds.
The investigation began in February 2026 after a Nordstrom employee flagged a suspicious return. Detectives discovered a pattern of fraudulent transactions dating back to 2019, involving a total of 224 purchases of high-end items that were subsequently returned.
Investigators assert that Sarkisian and Gharapetian leveraged the original purchases to obtain refunds by submitting fake replicas, resulting in significant financial losses. A search of their home on April 22 revealed a large quantity of luxury goods, counterfeit tags, and packaging materials, along with evidence suggesting the genuine items were being resold online.
Glendale Police Financial Crimes Detectives collaborated with Nordstrom investigators throughout the inquiry. The pair has been charged with multiple offenses, including felony grand theft and receiving stolen property.
A court date is scheduled for August. Sarkisian was cited and released the same day as the search, while Gharapetian’s legal status remains pending. Detectives continue to analyze evidence from online platforms used in the resale of the stolen goods to identify if other retailers were victims of this scheme.
Current estimates place confirmed losses at approximately $50,000, but investigations are ongoing to determine whether the total could exceed $300,000 as transaction histories are audited.
