AVENTURA - The president of an Aventura condominium, who is accused of stealing $1.5 million from his association, appeared before a judge.

Sixty-two-year-old Gregori Arzumanov, board president of Turnberry on the Green Condominium, located at 19501 W. Country Club Drive, was charged with money laundering, grand theft, racketeering, organized fraud and credit card fraud.

During his court appearance Wednesday morning, Arzumanov’s attorney, Sam Raymond, asked Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer to lower his bond.

“He’s not a flight risk, he’s a U.S. citizen. He will, obviously, knew about the investigation, did not make any attempts to flee or conceal his involvement, ” said Raymond. Also present during Arzumanov’s court hearing was Assistant State Attorney Elvia Medina Marcus, who argued that he would be a flight risk. “He has three passports from Georgia, Russia and the United States,” she said. “He has flown solo. He takes flight lessons. Part of the allegation is that he would charge airline fuel to the association using the association credit card. There’s a difference between being investigated and now facing 100 years.”

 

The judge decided to reduce Arzumanov’s bond to $350,000. He must also surrender his passports and stay away from other members of his board if he pays his bond.

Aside from allegedly stealing $1.5 million from his condo’s association, officials said, Arzumanov also took all the top positions at the condominium — property manager and building chief engineer in addition to HOA president — so that he could freely steal.

“In those positions of trust, he had the ability to spend money for things, theoretically, that were for the association, but what he did was, he actually bought things that we believe were for himself,” said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Ferndandez Rundle.

“I do apologize for taking so long, but this was an intricate fraud case, where he took over not just the building, but all, everything going on around the building, every asset used in and around the building,” said Aventura Police Chief Michael Bentolila. “It was a complete takeover. I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire career.”

Investigators said Arzumanov used stolen money to buy food, groceries and even artwork, and as part of an alleged laundering scheme, he made payments to mhis mother labeled “rent,” but she has been dead for years.

Cellphone video captured Arzumanov being walked through the lobby of the condominium in handcuffs on Tuesday.

Neighbors said his arrest comes as a relief.

“I can say it’s a historical day. We’re very happy,” said a resident. “What I can tell you is that we were living a daily nightmare, being persecuted daily by the board that was absolutely corrupted.”

On the condo’s website, Arzumanov has been president of the board since 2008, and on it, he claims he saved the condo from bankruptcy.

Before paying his bond, Arzumanov must prove where the money he is using comes from.