5th Man Held in Alleged Plot to Kill Secret Service Agent

Federal authorities Thursday arrested a fugitive wanted in connection with an alleged plot to kill a U.S. Secret Service agent.

Arshak “Tony” Kazarian, the fifth suspect arrested in the reputed assassination scheme, was detained by U.S. Customs Service officials at Los Angeles International Airport after returning from a trip to Mexico, authorities said.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Stephen Larson said a charge of conspiracy to commit murder will be filed against the 37-year-old Tujunga resident today. Kazarian, he said, is scheduled to appear today in federal court in Los Angeles.

According to court documents, Kazarian and the other suspects were planning to hire a man to kill a Secret Service agent who had investigated a fraud case against Kazarian’s brother, Robert Kazarian, 33, of Glendale.

Prosecutors said Robert Kazarian, who has been in custody on the fraud charges since August, helped plan the murder scheme from behind bars. The three other suspects were arrested Wednesday at their residences. They are scheduled for a bail hearing today.

Court documents allege that earlier this month the five men arranged to pay $50,000 to a man they believed could carry out the killing. But the man they contacted was a government informant who agreed to wear a body wire during meetings with the suspects.