Two men have been charged with multiple felonies as “financial predators” for bilking unsuspecting investors of more than $2.3 million for phony business deals – including a gas station in Berkeley and a gas station in Gilroy.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement that Sayed Tamim Faquiryan, 45, of Morgan Hill, promised people – all in the Middle Eastern community – lucrative investments only to steal their money for himself. The investments never existed, said Rosen.

Rosen also charged Navid Azisian, 41, of Novato, as a co-conspirator in the fraudulent investment scheme.

Faquiryan is charged with grand theft, securities fraud, identity theft, passing fraudulent checks, filing a false document, all with “white collar excessive taking” enhancements in connection with four victims. Faquiryan’s alleged thefts happened between January 2016 and December 2022.

Azizian has been charged with six counts of grand theft and an excessive taking enhancement for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent investment scheme with one of the victims. The case is set for plea in April.

Faquiryan was arraigned on Jan. 31 and was released on $250,000 bail pending trial.

Faquiryan’s next court date is in April.

“Our community should be safe from financial predators and financial predators should know they are not safe in our community,” said Rosen.

The district attorney said Faquiryan befriended each victim and gained their trust before approaching them with fictional investment deals.

“He convinced them to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal accounts,” said Rosen. “He never used any of the money for the stated purpose or returned the money when questioned.”