Suspect in Murder-for-Hire Arrested in Federal Sweep

What began as a white-collar fraud investigation by federal and local law enforcement agencies ended Tuesday with the arrest of 17 people, including a Sherman Oaks man, on charges ranging from weapons trafficking to murder for hire.

During a two-year probe, dubbed Operation Magstrip, undercover operatives purchased more than $1 million in stolen and counterfeit checks, more than 100 counterfeit credit cards, 13 gun silencers, a kilogram of cocaine and more than a pound of methamphetamine.

Those arrested during early morning sweeps Tuesday were among 29 people secretly indicted last week by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles. Four of the 29 were already in state custody and eight were listed as fugitives.

Charged with using interstate commerce to carry out a murder for hire was Bojidar Zachariev, 39, of Sherman Oaks, who used a pseudonym of Michael McKenzie.

Zachariev and Oliverio Chavez, 52, of Monument, Colo., were also charged with possession of illegal silencers and parts used to illegally convert firearms to machine guns.

The others were indicted on charges including possession of drugs, counterfeit checks, credit cards and securities and money laundering.

The case was spearheaded by the FBI, aided by officers from the Los Angeles and Glendale police departments, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Orange County district attorney’s office, the state attorney general’s office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.