United States v. Real Property Located at 5208 Los Franciscos Way

MODIFIED MEMORANDUM AND ORDER1

This matter is before the court on plaintiff United States of America’s (the “Government”) motion for summary judgment on the basis that the sole remaining claimants in this action, Levon Markarian and Eva Markarian (the “claimants”), lack standing to contest the civil forfeiture of the defendant real property at issue in this case. For the reasons set forth below, the Government’s motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In 1995, Anahit Margarían (“Margari-an”) and William Cherkezian (“Cherkezi-an”) entered into a business partnership by the name of Plaza Medical Supplies, Inc. (“Plaza Medical Supplies” or the “company”). Plaza Medical Supplies was incorporated in the State of California on November 20,1995, and was located in Los Angeles. Statement of Undisputed Facts in Supp. of Pl.’s Mot. for Summ. J. (“UF”), filed July 24, 2002, UF 1, 4. Margarían was the President of the company, in which she and Cherkezian both held a half-ownership interest. UF 2, 3.

Plaza Medical Supplies was purportedly in the business of providing wholesale medical supplies and equipment. UF 5. On April 26, 1996, it became a Medi-Cal provider under…