Armenia’s former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan is accused of money laundering on an especially large scale, exceeding official authority, and illegally participating in business activity. This was announced by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
“H.A., the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, having been a person holding public office during the period of 2006-2016, exceeded his official authority, and contrary to the prohibition on conducting business activity, participated through trusted persons in the management of the ‘Avazahatik’ company engaged in sand extraction, legalizing property obtained by criminal means on an especially large scale as a result. With the intention of illegally taking possession of the share of G.G., the 60 percent shareholder of the ‘Avazahatik’ company engaged in sand extraction, and participating in the management of the company through trusted persons, in 2006-2008, through representatives of state and local self-government bodies, H.A. created obstacles to the company’s carrying out of sand extraction in the legally prescribed manner from the 5-hectare plot leased from the Noramarg community of Ararat Province, and also took measures to halt the extraction,” the statement said.
The indictment states that Hovik Abrahamyan’s brother instructed the head of the Noramarg community to terminate the lease agreement concluded between the community and the ‘Avazahatik’ company.
“During a meeting held at his workplace, through the mediation of K.K., a friend of G.G., the 60 percent shareholder of the ‘Avazahatik’ company, H.A. presented G.G. with an illegal demand, namely, to register the 60 percent share of the ‘Avazahatik’ company proportionally in the name of his brother, H.A., and the representative of A.S., who at the time held the position of Chief of Police of the Republic of Armenia. G.G., having no other option, in order to continue the company’s subsequent activity, was forced to accept the proposal of H.A. (Hovik Abrahamyan – ed.), who at that time held the position of Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Armenia, and sold 30 percent of his share to the latter’s brother, H.A., and the other 30 percent to the father-in-law of the brother of Police Chief A.S., namely K.S.’s father-in-law, Kh.A.,” the statement said.
During 2008-2015, Hovik Abrahamyan, through trusted persons, illegally participating in the activities of the ‘Avazahatik’ company, obtained a profit of approximately 230 million drams from the operation of the sand mine.
In order to legalize these funds, Hovik Abrahamyan mixed the money with his other income, then acquired various properties, and through methods of conducting banking transactions, gave them a legal appearance. During 2008-2015, Hovik Abrahamyan acquired more than a dozen properties of various value in his own name and in the names of persons connected to him.
