Federal agents raided at least three homes and a business in the Boise area early Wednesday morning, confiscating boxes of undisclosed evidence.
A release sent to media outlets early Wednesday afternoon confirmed agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service Office, as well as officers from the Boise Police and Meridian Police Departments served search warrants on two Eagle homes, a west Boise business and a Meridian home.
The unidentified business is located on Bridger Street, near the intersection of Cloverdale Road and Chinden Blvd., the Eagle homes are on Pasa Tiempo Way, and the Meridian home authorities raided is on West Spruce Creek Drive.
Witnesses report seeing federal agents taping boxes and loading them into federal vehicles parked outside the homes and business. One witness reports seeing what he described as “at least forty” federal vehicles parked in front of the home and along the street. According to their license plates, the vehicles were from Washington, Idaho, Utah, California and Arizona.
Neighbors tell us the residents of the two Eagle homes that were searched have lived in the neighborhood some twelve years, and have “kept pretty much to themselves.” According to the Ada County Assessor’s Office, the two homes are owned by Gennady and Pavel Babichenko, known by neighbors as “Henry” and “Paul.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to say what the search warrants targeted or details of what prompted the raids, citing an ongoing federal investigation.
However, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis said he and several leaders from various federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will hold a press conference in Boise Thursday morning to announce details “of several federal indictments and arrests.”
According to federal court documents, those arrested are:
Pavel Babichenko (aka Paul Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Gennady Babichenko (aka Gennadii Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Piotr Babichenko (aka Piotr Babitchenko and Peter Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Timofey Babichenko (aka Timophey Babitchenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods (x2)
Conspiracy to launder money
Kristina Babichenko (aka Kristina Popudnik)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Natalya Babichenko (aka Natalya Shelubay, Natalie Babichenko, and Natalia Babichenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
David Bibikov
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Anna Iyerusalimets (aka Anna Bibitchenko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Mikhail Iyerusalimets
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
Artur Pupko (aka Arthur Pupko)
Charged with:
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail fraud
Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods
Trafficking in counterfeit goods
Conspiracy to launder money
