The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating three fugitives who are allegedly part of an international organized tax and bank fraud ring.

The three fugitives were charged along with 52 other co-conspirators for the theft of more than 3,500 people’s identities that were used to claim more than $27 million in fraudulent Internal Revenue Service tax refunds. The IRS paid out more than $7million dollars in the scam. A total of 55 people were charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

On Thursday, Sept. 26, over 200 FBI Agents, with support from the IRS Criminal Investigative Division and other agencies conducted a nationwide crackdown. Twenty-four defendants in the Los Angeles area were arrested, with the other arrests occurring in Baltimore, New York, Las Vegas and San Diego. As of October 3, 2013, 31 individuals have been arrested.

The three suspects being sought are identified as Hovhannes Harutyunyan, 34; of Burbank; Yermek Dossymbekov, 23, of Los Angeles; and Alisher Omarov  25, of Los Angeles.

The indictments represent the culmination of over two years of investigative work by the FBI and IRS. The investigation was initiated by the FBI in 2011, after agents became aware of a scheme involving foreign nationals from former Soviet bloc countries travelling to the United States under visas who then became involved in fraudulent schemes to defraud the U.S. government and federally insured banks. The visas allow foreigners to come to the United States for a short period of time to study, work and travel.

However, instead of studying or working, the foreign nationals allegedly worked primarily as foot soldiers for criminal organizations operating in Los Angeles, according to the FBI. Leaders of the identity theft ring, many of whom are Armenian nationals or Armenian-Americans, exploited the popular student visa program in part because the visa holders would not be in the United States long. In fact, most have since returned to their countries.

Subsequent investigation by the FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in the filing of four federal indictments charging the 55 defendants with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at (858)320-1800.