Just before his illness and death, Alahverdian knew that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating him for fraud, said his former lawyer Jeffrey Pine. The FBI's investigation happened because his foster mother Sharon Lane claimed that he opened 22 credit cards under her husband's name, spending over $200,000 which her husband now owed. Pine was suspicious whether Alahverdian really died, because his illness and death were reported so quickly after Alahverdian learned of the FBI investigation. Lane believed that Alahverdian was still alive, because in her opinion, the obituary and memorials written about him had a writing style matching Alahverdian's.