Washington, D.C. – January 28, 2026 – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) unequivocally condemns targeted attacks on ethnic minorities and the Armenian community. In their letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Co-Chairs, Talin Yacoubian and Oscar Tatosian, categorically rejected recent remarks that selectively target Armenian Americans.
In the letter dated January 28th, the Assembly acknowledged the Administration’s responsibility to address waste, fraud, and abuse, while underscoring that such efforts must not rely on racism and unjust stereotyping.
The Assembly noted that Dr. Oz’s recent statements referring to “Armenian gangs” and “mafia” are “deeply troubling” and “inflicts grave injustice on Armenian Americans who have proudly served this nation and their communities with distinction,” from military service to public office and business to philanthropy.
“Let us be clear: no one condones fraud or criminal behavior of any kind,” the letter states. “But neither can we accept the painting of Armenian Americans as presumptive criminals based on ethnicity. We categorically reject this kind of racism and stereotyping and urge you to reconsider these hurtful and divisive statements.”
Read also
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
Armenian Assembly of America