LOS ANGELES — Brian S. Kabateck, Class Counsel in Armenian Genocide insurance litigation in 1999 and 2005, on April 4 offered an open invitation to the Armenian Bar Association to conduct a thorough investigation into the handling of the AXA French insurance company claims settlement by Kabateck LLP, the firm of which he is founder and managing partner.
Kabateck sent a letter to the Armenian Bar Association that addresses the March 23, 2022 Los Angeles Times article “A ‘Blood Money’ Betrayal: How Corruption Spoiled Reparations for Armenian Genocide Victims.” This article, according to Kabateck, recycles decade-old “baseless insinuations” and is “patently untrue.”
“I have always been troubled and saddened by the deplorable actions of the criminals who conspired to steal money from the Armenian community and the rightful heirs of those who perished during the Genocide,” wrote Kabateck. “That’s why I worked so hard to uncover the crimes committed by Vartkes Yeghiayan, who died while being prosecuted by the State Bar; Rita Mahdessian, a convicted criminal with multiple suspensions of her license to practice law; and Berj Boyajian, who was ultimately convicted for his actions which I assisted in bringing to light.”
The letter claims the lack of any new revelations in the Los Angeles Times article, which, a pr release of the same date from Kabateck’s law firm purported, “entailed speaking with associates of Mr. Yeghiayan, who are seeking to avenge his deservedly sullied reputation.”
Kabateck’s letter states that the various allegations against him and his firm had been investigated and rejected in the past by the United States District Court, the State Bar of California, and various prosecutorial authorities. It also rejected the accusation that he actively denied claims to the insurance money, stating that he was not involved in the claims process.
The letter reveals that the firm offered to allow an independent accountant hired by the LA Times to review both the firm’s and Kabateck’s finances and offered to share the cost of a law firm selected by the newspaper to investigate whether there was any legal or ethical misconduct by Kabateck LLP. However, it states that the newspaper refused both offers and did not disclose them publicly.
