The Armenian Money Train or simply the Money Train was the name given to a money laundering operation led by the Armenian Mafia in Farmington.
The Strike Team conducted an armed robbery of the money train at the end of Season 2, and it ended up being the central conflict of Season 3. The heist loomed over the team for the rest of the show. At the end of the series, Vic would admit the money train heist was the beginning of the end for him and his team.
Description[]
They used it every couple of months to move their dirty money out of Los Angeles and clean it overseas. The Armenian Money Train originally operated at 9210 Escovida. However, the location of the operation was later transferred.
Season 2[]
During a sting operation on Alex Eznik and other members of the Armenian Mafia, Detectives Vic Mackey and Shane Vendrell found out about the Money Train while interrogating an Armenian mobster called Hrach. Vic and Shane checked the place of the operation and decided to keep the information to themselves, presenting a plan to Lem and Ronnie to rob the Money Train with the intention of keeping the money to themselves.
The Strike Team spent about two months scouting the Money Train's location, rehearsing how they would carry out the heist. However, as the time of the heist approached, the Armenians changed the location and the schedule of the Money Train. Still, Ronnie came up with a plan to successfully carry out the heist.
As the Strike Team was to proceed, they saw an Armenian mobster arrive at the site and shooting several other Armenians, Despite this, the Strike Team carried out their heist. While attempting to control the crowd an Armenian in the truck fires a shot, injuring one of his peers. The strike team doesn’t want to let him die. They agree to take him to a doctor and blackmail him by hiding some of the money in his house, causing him to leave town. Vic then met with the rest of the team at an abandoned housing project where they had a table set with all the money they had stolen.
Season 3[]
After the hit on the Money Train, the Armenian Mafia started looking for whoever was responsible. Led by Margos Dezerian, the mobsters chopped the feet of every suspect. Dutch Wagenbach was assigned to the case, and eventually suspected that Vic and the Strike Team were involved. Knowing he had put a price on their heads, Vic led Margos into a house where he shot him in cold blood.
Season 5[]
During Jon Kavanaugh's investigation on the Strike Team, Dutch told him his suspicions regarding the Money Train heist. Kavanaugh used this information as an angle on his investigation.
Season 6[]
Shane Vendrell admits to Diro Kesakian that Vic and the Strike Team robbed the money train, which results in Diro placing contracts on Vic and Ronnie, as well as their families.
Season 7[]
When Vic signed his immunity deal with ICE, this was one of the crimes he confessed to Agent Olivia Murray. Several days later, Claudette Wyms ordered Ronnie's arrest. The Money Train heist was among the many crimes that Ronnie was charged with.
Trivia[]
*Despite the name, the money train was not a literal money train. It was merely a money laundering operation.