Woman arrested for alleged affordable housing scam in Glendale – NBC Los Angeles

A woman has been arrested for allegedly conducting a series of scams against applicants for affordable housing in Glendale, city officials announced Tuesday.

Sima Karapetyan of North Hollywood was accused of posing as an employee of the Glendale Housing Authority to defraud victims of money and promise them access to public housing and better status on the Section 8 Housing Voucher waiting list.

The 47-year-old committed the fraud primarily in social welfare offices and local nonprofit organizations, where she was able to approach low-income and vulnerable elderly people and gain their trust, Glendale police said.

The fraud scheme was uncovered in April 2024 along with allegations that Karapetyan also used social media to lure additional victims.

During the investigation, it was found that Karapetyan has taken money from at least eleven victims since 2021.

Following his arrest on May 23, Karapetyan was charged with seven counts of theft by false pretenses and four counts of elder abuse.

As of Tuesday afternoon, she remained in custody on $450,000 bail.

“If you are approached by someone promising to offer you low-income housing assistance in exchange for money, please ignore the request,” warned the Glendale Housing Authority. “Do not believe that low-income housing assistance can be bought from strangers on the street.”

Authorities urged the public to report any fraud cases by calling their hotline (818) 548-6442 or emailing [email protected].