Armenian Genocide Museum of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202-383-9009; E-mail: ani@agmm.org;
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
Rouben Adalian
April 11, 2008
Phone: (202) 383-9009
Web:
E-mail: ani@agmm.org

MINNESOTA FEDERAL COURT CONFIRMS DISMISSAL OF CAFESJIAN LAWSUIT IN FAVOR
OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM

Washington-On March 31, 2008, the U.S. District Court in Minnesota
confirmed the October 2007 ruling to dismiss the first lawsuit filed by
Gerard Cafesjian and the Cafesjian Family Foundation against the
Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian Genocide Museum and
Memorial, Inc.

The dismissal of Cafesjian’s lawsuit came within a week of the milestone
approval obtained by the museum project from the District of Columbia
Historic Preservation Review Board and the endorsements by DC
community-based organizations. Rapid progress continues toward the
opening of the museum, which is slated for 2010.

The lawsuit filed by Cafesjian in April 2007 sought to rescind the grant
agreement his Foundation had made with the Armenian Assembly with
respect to the Armenian Genocide Museum project, so that Cafesjian could
recover substantially appreciated real estate. Subsequent filings and
press attacks by Cafesjian were similarly intended to scuttle the
building of a genocide museum.
Cafesjian formally abandoned the project demanding return of appreciated
real estate, leaving behind unpaid taxes, an unpaid mortgage, leaking
roofs, unpaid salaries, unpaid contractors, an illegal lien on the
properties, no audits, and compliance problems with other donors’ gifts,
all of which left the project in tatters.

Despite additional lawsuits filed by Cafesjian in Minnesota and the
District of Columbia in an effort to obstruct the museum project, no
court to date has ruled in Cafesjian’s favor or hindered the rapid
progress registered. The dismissal in Minnesota allows Cafesjian to try
again in the District of Columbia if he chooses, but in a filing dated
April 1, 2008, Cafesjian has apparently appealed the Federal Court
decision to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. At the same time, the
Armenian Assembly has repeatedly called upon Cafesjian to resolve
differences in private through mediation.

NR#2008-02