Zhan "Johnny" Petrosyants, 44, a restaurateur who has often surfaced in former New York City mayor Eric Adams' social circle, was arrested by FBI agents on March 31, 2026 and indicted the next day on federal health care and related fraud charges. The indictment, unsealed April 1, 2026, accuses Petrosyants of aggravated identity theft and a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, health care fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors say he and others submitted bogus no-fault insurance claims and billed insurers for treatment that either did not happen or was not necessary.
According to The New York Times, the indictment spells out counts that include aggravated identity theft along with multiple fraud and money laundering charges tied to the alleged insurance billing scheme. The outlet reports that the charging documents were unsealed on April 1, 2026, and that FBI agents took Petrosyants into custody on March 31. The Times also notes that his twin brother, Robert Petrosyants, was not charged in this latest case.
Petrosyants and his twin brother already have a federal record. Both pleaded guilty in 2014 to conspiracy charges in a check-cashing and billing operation, according to a 2014 press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. That earlier matter described medical billing companies and shell entities that were allegedly used to push insurance proceeds through nominee accounts and check-cashing businesses.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
In this new case, the indictment, as described in court filings cited in reporting, alleges that co-conspirators submitted no-fault insurance claims for services that were either unnecessary or never provided at all. Prosecutors say some of those claims were billed under the names of supposed medical professionals who did not hold licenses. The government contends that the activity brought in millions of dollars in improper insurance payments, which were then routed through a web of accounts and transactions intended to hide where the money came from.
Adams connection and local fallout
Petrosyants has been a familiar face in Adams' orbit for years, tied to Midtown restaurants that reporters have linked to the former mayor's social life. Eater and other outlets have previously detailed the brothers' restaurant ventures and their long-running connections to city political circles.
Legal implications
One of the charges listed in the indictment, aggravated identity theft, carries a mandatory two-year federal prison term that must be served consecutively to any other sentence, according to federal sentencing guidance. The remaining counts, which include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, health care fraud and money laundering, each bring their own potential penalties under federal law and would be decided in court if the case moves forward to trial.
An indictment is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Upcoming federal court filings will determine what happens next in the case. Hoodline will monitor the docket and any hearings and will update this report as additional documents or public statements emerge.
