Large Sums and Gold Ingots Discovered in Ara Minasian’s Bank Account

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia continues to undertake necessary investigative and procedural actions to clarify all circumstances surrounding the apparent abuses discovered at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center LLC.

This was reported by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

As previously informed, preliminary investigation data indicates that from 2016 until September 30, 2017, the former director of St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center LLC, in collusion with several employees of the medical center, allegedly forged documents and utilized counterfeit documents to fraudulently embezzle significantly large sums of money allocated from the state budget through a contract signed between the Armenian Ministry of Health and St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center LLC for the program of providing social packages to employees of state institutions and organizations under "guaranteed free and preferential conditions for the provision of medical and service services."

Based on a comprehensive, complete, and objective examination of the evidence obtained during the pre-trial investigation, as well as their analysis and joint assessment, the investigator has charged the former director of St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center LLC under the first point of part 3 of Article 178 and part 2 of Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. A search warrant has been issued for him. Charges have also been filed against two other former employees of the same company – the former head of services for the documentation of state orders and the former deputy head of treatment for the adults' polyclinic – under the first point of part 3 of Article 38-178 and part 2 of Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Armenia.

In order to ensure compensation for damages incurred to the state, a seizure has been imposed by the prosecuting authority on the former director of St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center LLC’s bank accounts, totaling 272,900 USD, and on two residential properties located in the administrative center of Yerevan, as well as real estate in the Kotayk and Shirak regions, along with movable properties. Additionally, 30,000 USD, 15,000 EUR, 31 pieces of 999.9 fine gold ingots and jewelry weighing a total of about 500 grams, as well as 39 coins made from gold and other precious metals of various sizes were confiscated from his personal bank safe.

The investigation is ongoing.