--- title: Who was Paul Bogosian? description: "Nazaret (Nazar) Bogosian was originally from Adana in Turkey. Nazar was apparently the first one of the family in Milwaukee. By 1919, he was partners in the Bogosian and Kaprelian Company on Wisconsin Street with his brother-in-law. In June 1919,…" url: "https://milwaukeemafia.com/wiki/who-was-paul-bogosian/" updated: "2026-10-07" category: Milwaukee Mafia / Biography tags: - bogosian - trovato --- # Who was Paul Bogosian? Nazaret (Nazar) Bogosian was originally from Adana in Turkey. Nazar was apparently the first one of the family in Milwaukee. By 1919, he was partners in the Bogosian and Kaprelian Company on Wisconsin Street with his brother-in-law. In June 1919, Nazaret applied for a passport to visit Armenia. He had received news that his father was shot, his mother beaten to death and his sisters were kidnapped to be part of a Turkish harem. This was in a letter from his brother, described in the newspaper as a “blind violinist.” Another brother was spared because he was an officer in the German army at the time. January 1920, Nazar donated $200 to Near East Relief and explained the large donation: “My father and mother met death at the hands of the Turks; my blind brother was thrown into the streets and became a beggar until the armistice was signed and he was again able to earn a livelihood as a violinist. My sister's husband was slain by the Turks and her baby starved to death when she and a younger sister were returning to Baghdad after being in exile for over two years. Instead of the customary feasting and rejoicing (of Christmas), we feel the solemnity and gloom at the thought of the plight of our countrymen in the near east. In Armenia today, the only gifts are the food and clothing the near east relief has sent to our people from generous America.” In February 1920, Nazar received word his two sisters (Sandoukd and Serouhy) had made it to Baqubah, near Baghdad (500 miles from home) and were sharing a tent with 25 other people. The British (who occupied Iraq) were providing food and shelter to 40,000 Armenian refugees there. Nazar immediately wired $1,000 to Near East Relief to get the sisters on a train to a ship so they could arrive in Milwaukee and take up residence with him. No attempt would be made to go to Adana because it was “infested by murderous Turks” (in the words of the newspaper) and two Near East Relief workers had been killed there just days earlier. By November (9 months later) the rescue plan was not successful, and Nazar left to personally retrieve his sister. The store was put in the hands of Kaprelian and Nazar's wife and children awaited his return. Finally, in February 1921, they met Nazar at Port Said in Egypt and made it out. Nazar's younger brother Hampartzoom (Hampar) came to Milwaukee at some point in the 1920s, no later than 1925. He was not a blind violinist, so he was apparently the brother who served in the German Army. This makes sense, as Hampar would have been roughly 21-25 during World War I. Like Nazar, Hampar also went into the oriental rug business. Paul Bogosian was born September 4, 1927 in Milwaukee to Hampar and Pamon Bogosian. He would join his father and uncle in the business, and later recalled that his earliest memories were studying the patterns of the rugs. September 24, 1944: 17-year old Paul Bogosian was arrested at school (325 East North Avenue) for extorting $85 from someone. He told the person he had been gambling with Mexicans and needed the money. 1956, Paul was the manager of H. Bogosian Carpets at 724 North Jefferson Street. October 1956, Paul was an usher at the wedding of Norma Lombardi and Donnld Connors. Other ushers were John Fazio and James Jennaro. Norma's sister was married to Anthony Fazio. February 17, 1957: Carpet Land, Inc had its grand opening at 2517 West Fond du Lac Avenue. Paul was the company president. January 13, 1964: Frank Balistrieri was seen with Paul Bogosian at the carpet store. The next day, SA LeGrand asked Bogosian what the meeting was about and he said, "Some of Balistrieri's carpets were getting a little thin." Bogosian declined to say any more, saying he had gone to school with many of the Italian crowd and felt a sense of loyalty to them. He would not speculate on any Mafia activities. On October 30, 1965, a son of Tony Maniaci (August’s brother) was married; a reception was held at Alioto’s. Peter Balistrieri, Joe and John Balistrieri. Paul Bogosian, John Aiello and Sam Cefalu were present. June 14, 1966: An informant said gambler Sam Cefalu was now working at Paul Bogosian's store. On January 5, 1968, an informant told the FBI that shortly before Christmas, while at Gallagher’s, Frank Balistrieri asked him to run for alderman of the First Ward. Also present were Paul Bogosian and Steve DiSalvo. Balistrieri offered to pay for his apartment so he could fulfill the residency requirements. He further said he would allow the man to keep his alderman pay, as well as his “current salary” (the informant apparently worked for Balistrieri). The informant declined the offer, saying he was running for office in Cudahy instead. Balistrieri was upset and acted cold towards the informant since that time (implying they saw each other multiple times since Christmas). On the evening of March 23, 1968, a dinner party was held at Rudy’s Pizzeria (corner of North and Oakland). Attending the party were Frank Balistrieri, Peter Balistrieri, Steve DiSalvo, Jimmy Jennaro, Walter Brocca, Harry D’Angelo, Vincent Maniaci, August Maniaci, Joseph Enea and Paul Bogosian. (Somewhere around this time, Bogosian broke his leg.) April 9, 1968: A pre-opening party was held at the Knickerbocker Hotel. Attending were Frank and Peter Balistrieri, Steve DiSalvo, Sam Cefalu, Paul Bogosian, Dominic Frinzi, and Jimmy Jennaro. On August 4, 1968, there was a stag dinner honoring Isadore Aiello (son of Vito Aiello), who was getting married to Marianna Maretti. Nick Fucarino, August Maniaci, Steve DiSalvo, Peter Balistrieri, John Aiello, Sam Ferrara, Charles Zarcone, Nick Collura, Sam Cefalu, Sheriff Cefalu, Joseph Enea, Frank Sansone, Tony Machi, Vito Seidita, Walter Brocca, Joseph Spero, Paul Bogosian, Tony Pipito and others were in attendance. There were an estimated 100 guests in total. The dinner was at Vitucci’s, 1832 East North Avenue. Attendees were charged $10 a plate, with the profits going as a wedding gift. On August 31, 1968, there was a wedding reception for Cheryl Marie Principe, the daughter of Dominic Principe in Kenosha. Cheryl married James Reynold Gemignani, son of Roger Gemignani, at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Kenosha. Nick Fucarino, Joseph Spero, Jimmy Jennaro, Walter Brocca, Albert Albana, Paul Bogosian and most of the Milwaukee LCN attended the reception. October 30, 1968: FBI agents attempted to interview Paul Bogosian. He acknowledged he was friends with Frank Balistrieri, Steve DiSalvo, Jimmy Jennaro and others, but denied any involvement with them in any way and didn't think it was a good idea for him to talk about them because they were his friends. Bogosian said he recently moved his carpet store from North Jefferson to West Bluemound. This new store had him working 90 hour weeks, so he had no time for any other activities. 1970ish, married Gail Coltman, ex-wife of Mafia associate Frank Trovato May 28, 1974: Paul Bogosian was questioned by the FBI at his carpet store. Bogosian said that five years ago he was single and would hang out at the clubs of his childhood friends, some of whom were Mafia members. Bogosian said he was married four years ago, and already had four children. Since his marriage, he stopped going to clubs and focused on his family and business. October 5, 1978: Someone broke into Bogosian Carpet at 11005 West Bluemound Road between 9pm October 5 and 8am October 6, and stole an estimated 40-50 rugs valued at around $200,000. The insurance on them was at $125,000. Entry appeared to be made by using a pipe wrench on the rear entrance door knob until the lock mechanism broke. Owner Paul Bogosian said the thieves knew what they were looking for, because they clearly skipped cheaper rugs while taking more rare and expensive ones. The case was initially handled by Wauwatosa police, but they contacted the FBI, who believed an interstate component was likely. When the FBI arrived, Bogosian said essentially the same thing, though he clarified that he was having breakfast next door and it was an employee that first noticed the theft around 8:55am. Bogosian said many of the stolen rugs he would immediately know by sight, but some were from a recent New York shipment and those would have to be matched to an inventory list. He said all of his employees have been with him ten years or more and he had no reason to suspect them. October 15, 1978: (redacted) purchased 12 carpets from a flea market at the Maywood Race Track in Maywood, Illinois. (Redacted) did not know the seller's name, but later described him as a stocky white male in his 50s who drives an older model white van. In fact, (redacted) purchased one rug and the seller then left to bring back more – a trip that took him about an hour. The seller wanted $9,000 for the 12, but was haggled down to $6,000 and was paid in cash. (Redacted) specifically asked the seller if the rugs were "kinky" (stolen) and the seller said they were not, and were stored in a warehouse nearby. He said he could get more if the buyer wanted some. (Who brings $6,000 cash to a flea market?) ![](https://milwaukeemafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bogosian-Paul-1979.jpg) October 16, 1978: An informant told the FBI that the Bogosian theft reeked of insurance fraud. They said "collectors and dealers" of Persian rugs are such a small group, they would all know each other – these were not items that could easily appear in another store unnoticed. October 22, 1978: The redacted buyer above sold two rugs to (redacted) for $3,000. Having paid about $500 each only days earlier, it was a great profit. It was at this time he became aware they may be from Bogosian and the FBI was contacted. The FBI recovered six carpets on October 25, 1978 from (redacted) at River Grove, Illinois, valued at around $22,000. The carpets had been stolen from Paul Bogosian’s store. Bogosian recognized five of them immediately and was able to prove the sixth with paperwork. November 30, 1978: Bogosian was able to get four more rugs back from Chicago through the FBI. The value of these four was around $9,000. (The FBI retrieved them from the River Grove reseller on November 16, so I don't know why it took two weeks.) The FBI talked to the US attorney about charging the reseller with a crime, but it was agreed this was a bad idea – he had been very helpful and it would be hard to prove he knew the rugs were stolen. December 5, 1979: The Milwaukee Journal ran a long article on oriental rugs in Milwaukee, and noted that the three big rug dealers were all Armenian: Bogosian, Herb Barsamian and Michael Constantini (Italian father, Armenian mother). The article noted that Persian rugs – the best of the oriental rugs – cost $4,000 even for a small one. The outcome of the theft is unclear. The FBI records are incomplete, and somehow the story never made the newspapers. Bogosian appears to have been sincere in his claim of being a family man and spending less time with mob figures. His name does not come up in the records again, and he passed decades later on December 31, 2014. He was survived by four children.