Karapetyan

MEMORANDUM ***

Edyard Karapetyan (“Karapetyan”) petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA’s) denial of his applications for asylum and withholding of removal. An asylum applicant must demonstrate an inability or unwillingness to return to the country of nationality “because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” 8 U.S.C. § 1101 (a)(42). In addition, the persecution must be inflicted by the government or a group the government is unable or unwilling to control. Sangha v. INS, 103 F.3d 1482, 1487 (9th Cir.1997).

Even assuming Karapetyan’s testimony to be credible, substantial evidence supports the BIA’s denial of his application. Karapetyan testified that he had been kid *673 napped and stabbed by a group of “hooligans and criminals” who wanted him to call his family in the United States and ask for money, and that he was eventually released when he promised to pay them. His testimony does not compel the conclusion that he was persecuted “on account of’ a protected ground, as there was no testimony suggesting the extortion was motivated even…