‘Deadbeat’ N.S. developer flees to Mideast
Man said to owe $1.7M in child, spousal support
HALIFAX • One of the “worst deadbeat” fathers in Canadian history has been sentenced to four years in prison and handed a massive fine for defying a Nova Scotia court order to pay child and spousal support arrears.
But Vrege Armoyan, a Nova Scotia businessman and developer, may never serve a day or pay a dime of the $384,000 fine because he has fled Can- ada for an undisclosed country in the Middle East. Armoyan failed to appear in a Halifax court on Friday even though a judge directed him to be there in an order issued less than two weeks ago.
Family Court Judge Theresa Forgeron said that Armoyan’s “defiance spanned many years” and that he owes a “shameful amount of arrears” racked up after a deliberate plan to hide money and to avoid paying support for his three children, ages 20, 18 and 15.
“His children struggle to survive while Mr. Armoyan has millions of dollars,’” said Judge Forgeron in handing down the sentence and fine.
Armoyan’s ex-wife joined the hearing via telephone from Florida where she and her three children live. Her lawyer said in an interview following the hearing that the case stands out in Canadian legal history.
“This is one of the worst,” said Toronto family lawyer Harold Niman in an interview. “On the scale of deadbeats it’s probably the worst deadbeat that I could imagine in any family law case.”
The legal wrangling between Vrege and Lisa Armoyan began in 2009 when the couple separated. Dozens of court appearance have been made both in Canada and Florida since then. Ar- moyan was ordered to pay $29,000 a month in child and spousal support in 2012 but never paid the full amount, opting instead to pay about one-third of that. The total arrears total $1,714,684.04. In addition, he also owes just over $1 million in court costs.
Just weeks ago Armoyan told the court via email that he was no longer a resident of Canada but he failed to say where he had moved.
However, Mr. Niman told the court that an email he had indicated that Armoyan was in the Middle East. He said the move was part of Armoyan’s plan to evade Canada’s child and spousal support laws.
Armoyan fled Florida and returned to Canada several years ago after a court there sentenced him to 60 days in jail for failing to obey a court order on support.
In 2013, according to court documents, Armoyan sold his luxury yacht in Lebanon and put his Lamborghini on the block for $105,000 and a Corvette for $62,000. At the same time he received a $2-million tax-free capital dividend and more than $1 million from his mother.
“Tens of millions of dollars have disappeared. He (Armoyan) is not living in a cave. … My client can’t afford groceries. She can’t afford to fly here for this hearing,” Mr. Niman told court. “Mr. Armoyan is many things, but one thing he is not is stupid. He knows exactly what he is doing.’’
Armoyan was found guilty of contempt of court last month and on Friday he was required to attend court for a sentencing hearing. Neither he nor his lawyer showed up. A few minutes after the scheduled time for the hearing to begin a court sheriff opened the courtroom door and yelled: “Is there a Mr. Armoyan here?” The call was greeted with silence.
Armoyan “strategically and tactically” avoided payment and fled the country, Mr. Niman told the court.
“Not one case in Canada matches this case. Not one,” he told the judge. “This is the worst possible contempt. He is thumbing his nose at the court process.”
Armoyan will be arrested the moment he sets foot back in Canada and begin serving his four-year sentence for contempt of court. But if he pays the arrears, the fine and the court costs he will be released from prison. At this point, it is unlikely that the warrant for his arrest will ever reach him because his address is now simply “the Middle East.”
Not one case in Canada matches this case. Not one