What started as one sketchy-looking return at a Glendale Nordstrom has turned into a years‑long fraud case, according to investigators, with two local residents now under arrest and the retailer tallying at least $50,000 in confirmed losses. Police allege the pair bought hundreds of high‑end items online, kept the real goods and sent back counterfeits to Nordstrom and its distribution center. The company estimates the total hit from the suspected scheme could climb to around $300,000.
Case opened after a single suspicious return
According to the Glendale Police Department, the investigation kicked off in February when a Nordstrom employee flagged what appeared to be a counterfeit item during a return. A Nordstrom investigator then reached out to the department’s Downtown Policing Unit on March 10. Detectives say they followed the trail back to 2019 and found more than 224 purchases of designer clothing, handbags and cosmetics that were ultimately returned.
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, police identified the suspects as Arpineh Sarkisian and Argin Gharapetian. Investigators allege the two routinely swapped in counterfeit items when processing returns, then resold the authentic merchandise through an online merchant platform. Nordstrom told investigators that confirmed losses tied to this probe stand at about $50,000, but the retailer believes the alleged scam may have cost it more than $300,000 overall.
Warrant turns up designer goods and fakes
Detectives executed a search warrant at the suspects’ Glendale home on April 22 and found a large stash of designer clothing, purses, shoes, cosmetics, merchandise tags and packaging materials, according to the Glendale Police Department. Police say some of the recovered items matched products linked to Nordstrom returns, and evidence suggested the genuine goods were being resold online. Sarkisian and Gharapetian were arrested on several charges, including felony grand theft, receiving stolen property and theft by false pretenses.
Retailers on alert over return fraud
Return‑fraud tactics such as slipping in counterfeit products or flipping authentic items online have become a costly headache for retailers that process billions in returns every year. The National Retail Federation’s 2025 returns report projected U.S. returns nearing $850 billion and noted that a growing share involves fraudulent or abusive behavior. Industry observers say what allegedly played out in Glendale reflects a broader pattern in which return fraud and organized resale quietly chip away at retailers’ margins.
Both suspects are scheduled to return to court in August 2026, according to CBS Los Angeles. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the Glendale Police Financial Crimes Unit at 818‑548‑3101 as the investigation continues.
