Sixteen Idaho residents have been indicted on charges stemming from two federal investigations –- one, involving the large-scale manufacturing and sale of counterfeit cell phones, and the other, a cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine ring, according to a Thursday morning announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On Wednesday, federal agents and municipal police raided 12 homes, one warehouse, one business and a church in relation to the counterfeit phone investigation.
At a press conference in Boise, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis said the fake phones involved the multi-million-dollar counterfeit scheme were manufactured in Hong Kong, then repackaged and distributed from the Boise area. Investigators said the phones were sold on Amazon and eBay.
“This was the four-year investigation,” Davis stated.
Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service Office, as well as officers from the Boise Police and Meridian Police Departments served search warrants on the properties Wednesday, packing out boxes presumably containing evidence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says anyone who believes they may be a victim may visit the Department of Justice’s large case website for more information: www.justice.gov/largecases.
One business is located on Bridger Street, near the intersection of Cloverdale Road and Chinden Blvd., the Eagle homes are on Pasa Tiempo Way, and the Meridian home authorities raided is on West Spruce Creek Drive.
Neighbors tell us the residents of the two Eagle homes that were searched have lived in the neighborhood some twelve years, and have “kept pretty much to themselves.” According to the Ada County Assessor’s Office, the two homes are owned by Gennady and Pavel Babichenko, known by neighbors as “Henry” and “Paul.”
According to federal court documents, those arrested in the counterfeit phone scheme now face over 30 federal charges.
Pavel Babichenko (aka Paul Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Gennady Babichenko (aka Gennadii Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Piotr Babichenko (aka Piotr Babitchenko and Peter Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Timofey Babichenko (aka Timophey Babitchenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods (x2)
Conspiracy to launder money
Kristina Babichenko (aka Kristina Popudnik)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Natalya Babichenko (aka Natalya Shelubay, Natalie Babichenko, and Natalia Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
David Bibikov
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Anna Iyerusalimets (aka Anna Bibitchenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Mikhail Iyerusalimets
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Artur Pupko (aka Arthur Pupko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
In a separate series of cases stemming from the same Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, the grand jury returned six indictments charging six people with violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
Those involved are:
-Tetyana Vasilevna Andriychuk, distributing heroin;
-Jeffrey Scott Davis, distributing methamphetamine;
-Pavel Matlashevsky, two counts of distributing heroin;
-Alexandr Stricharskiy, three counts of distributing methamphetamine;
-Sergey Zagorodny, distributing cocaine and sale of a firearm to a prohibited person; and,
-Vadim N. Dmitruk, possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Drug distribution charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the amount and type of drugs distributed. Maximum prison sentences range from up to 20 years all the way to life. The OCDETF investigation also included several other persons who were charged earlier with violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
They are:
-James Peirsol pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 200 months in prison on October 19 of last year
-Blake Anthony Vanhoff pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 66 months in prison on November 14 of last year
-David Lon Rose pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 24 months in prison December 7, 2017 and
-David Duane Gudgel pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 210 months in prison on May 2 of this year.
