Investigators accuse Tsarukyan of organized fraud

PanARMENIAN.Net - According to Armenia's Investigative Committee, factual evidence obtained in one of the criminal proceedings being investigated by the Main Department for the Investigation of Economic Crimes and Smuggling indicates that several individuals, allegedly organized by G.T. (editor's note: Gagik Tsarukyan), committed particularly large-scale fraud and particularly large-scale money laundering during 2022–2024.

The committee said Tsarukyan and another alleged member of the criminal group have been detained for the purpose of being brought before a court, while a detention order has been issued for another alleged member of the group.

According to the evidence in the criminal proceedings, members of the criminal group allegedly organized and led by G.T. reached agreements with Iranian citizens to develop Iran-Armenia trade relations and established joint legal entities within that framework. Investigators allege that, under the guise of creating an Iran-Armenia logistics and freight transportation link, and acting with the intent to misappropriate property on a particularly large scale through deception and abuse of trust, they obtained 52 vehicles, machinery, fuel and various goods from companies operating in Iran and managed by Iranian entrepreneurs, then imported them into Armenia. The imports were allegedly disguised through the appearance of legitimate economic activity, while customs import declarations and other official documents were falsified. Investigators claim the group had premeditatedly misappropriated property valued at approximately 8.126 billion Armenian drams, equivalent to $21,072,827.

The Investigative Committee further alleges that, in order to legalize assets obtained through the alleged criminal activity and conceal their illicit origin, members of the group falsified Armenian import documents after the alleged theft of the goods and transferred part of the property using forged documents. According to investigators, they thereby concealed the criminal origin of the allegedly fraudulently acquired vehicles and other goods, converted the assets, and mixed the proceeds from their sale with other income, disguising the true origin of the property and funds and giving them the appearance of legitimacy.

The committee also alleges that G.T., as the beneficial owner of a limited liability company registered in Armenia, entered into a prior criminal agreement with R.K., who is engaged in fuel imports and sales. According to investigators, Tsarukyan organized and led the fraudulent misappropriation of $934,465 from Iranian citizen Y.I. within the framework of a fuel import transaction. Investigators further allege that the resulting funds were mixed with the legitimate turnover of the company under his control, thereby concealing the true criminal origin of the property and financial resources and giving them the appearance of legality.

Based on evidence indicating the commission of crimes, an investigator from the Main Department for the Investigation of Economic Crimes and Smuggling submitted motions to the supervising prosecutor seeking to initiate public criminal prosecution against G.T. under Article 46-255, Part 3, Clause 3 of the Criminal Code (two counts of organizing particularly large-scale fraud) and Article 46-296, Part 3, Clause 3 (two counts of organizing particularly large-scale money laundering). Similar motions were submitted against one alleged member of the criminal group under Article 255, Part 3, Clause 3 (two counts) and Article 296, Part 3, Clause 3 (two counts), and against another alleged member under the same articles. The motions were approved.

As part of the pre-trial investigation into more than a dozen criminal proceedings involving alleged particularly large-scale fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, simultaneous searches were conducted at more than 70 locations jointly with officers of Armenia's National Security Service, State Revenue Committee and Ministry of Internal Affairs Police. According to investigators, documents, objects of evidentiary value and allegedly misappropriated vehicles were discovered during the searches.

Three lions and one tiger belonging to the mansion of Prosperous Armenia party leader and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan were seized and transferred to the zoo, the Investigative Committee said, according to Armenpress.

Earlier, Prosperous Armenia spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan said that during the search of Tsarukyan's reception residence, the animals kept there were sedated and transported to the zoo.

A hearing has begun at the Court of General Jurisdiction of Avan and Nor Nork administrative districts to consider the preventive measure sought against Tsarukyan.

On June 9, Tsarukyan was not allowed to leave the country at Zvartnots International Airport. Public criminal prosecution was initiated against him on charges of particularly large-scale tax evasion. According to Prosperous Armenia spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan, Tsarukyan had planned a two- to three-day trip abroad with his wife and was leaving the country for that purpose. It later became known that, after criminal proceedings were initiated against him, a written undertaking not to leave the country was imposed as a preventive measure.

On June 25, it became known that a motion had been submitted to the Central Electoral Commission seeking to strip Tsarukyan of parliamentary immunity. The commission said the motion would most likely be considered after July 4.