La Cañada Flintridge Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Murder-for-Hire Plots and Arson

A local man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for hiring a hitman to kill his former lawyer and a long-time litigation opponent, and for hiring someone to burn down an apartment complex he owned to force out low-income tenants.

Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 55, of La Cañada Flintridge, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered him to pay $15,371 in restitution and fined him $200,000.

A statement from U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California said that after a five-day trial, a jury in July found Aslanian guilty of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit arson, attempted arson, and arson of a building used in interstate commerce.

“This defendant thought he could get away with murder by financing a murder plot against two of his rivals,” Estrada said. “He will now serve a well-deserved lengthy prison sentence. This case should serve as a cautionary tale to those who would resort to violence to settle their disputes: You will be caught and the consequences will be severe.”

The statement said Aslanian conspired with Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, then his employee, to hire a hitman to murder two people, identified in court documents only as “M.Y.” and “S.E.”

M.Y. was a lawyer who had represented Aslanian in a bankruptcy proceeding and was owed over $261,000 in legal fees that Aslanian refused to pay. In April 2022, M.Y. demanded mediation and threatened to sue Aslanian.

S.E. was a litigant who had defeated Aslanian in court when Aslanian tried to take possession of the Brentwood home where S.E.’s parents lived.

The statement said in April 2022, Rivera met with a gang member and convicted felon and told him that a businessman named “Arthur” wanted to pay him to kill M.Y. and S.E. In July, Rivera met with the individual again, saying Aslanian wanted the killing done as soon as possible and providing information about M.Y.

The individual secretly recorded part of the July meeting and provided the recording to law enforcement. Rivera promised the individual $20,000 for the murder, to be paid by Aslanian once photographic proof was provided, according to the U.S. Attorney’s statement. 

In August, Rivera told the hitman to focus on killing S.E. first and sent him a screenshot of S.E.’s Facebook profile to assist in locating him. Law enforcement warned both intended victims about the murder plots.

The statement said Rivera was detained and questioned by law enforcement on Sept. 7 and agreed to cooperate. Aslanian was arrested on Sept. 15 after Rivera showed him a staged murder photo of S.E.

“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives saved the lives of two individuals in this case,” Christopher Bombardiere, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Los Angeles Field Division, said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to seek out and build cases against these violent criminals who have no moral compass and instead are driven by greed.”

The statement also revealed details about a separate incident in March 2022 when Aslanian allegedly paid someone a few hundred dollars, through Rivera, to successfully set fire to a rental property he owned in North Hollywood to force out the remaining low-income tenants. A previous arson attempt in February had been unsuccessful.

Rivera pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count at his July 8 sentencing hearing.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section, and Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted it.