Embezzlement in the Echmiadzin City Hall

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has been conducting a thorough investigation regarding the recent embezzlement case occurring in the Echmiadzin City Hall, linked to the son of Manvel Grigoryan.

As part of the criminal case, significant investigative actions have revealed new instances of alleged crimes committed by officials of the Echmiadzin Municipality. Specifically, it has been established that, upon the direction of the former head of the community, an individual who had not attended work since January 1, 2011, was incorrectly registered as the head of external relations at the "Culture" community non-profit organization until June 2018. As a result, he received a total salary of 5,276,579 AMD, with false documents created regarding his working hours.

During the pre-investigation, the damage caused to the community has been fully restored. It was previously reported that extensive investigative measures revealed several instances of embezzlement from the Echmiadzin municipality, with mechanisms of their execution established.

In particular, it was uncovered that the former community leader, due to personal interests and responding to a request from a member of the "Union of Territorial Defenders", instructed the head of the budgetary institution "Barrekargum" to register the person he indicated as a municipal employee. Consequently, this individual was hired as a site guard, with an employment contract signed, but did not actually perform this work. Instead, he worked as a guard at the regional office of the "Union of Territorial Defenders", during which time he received a total of 4,489,327 AMD from the municipality's budget.

Furthermore, the head of the Echmiadzin municipality instructed the head of the budgetary institution "Residential Communal Administration" to register a member of the "Union of Territorial Defenders" as a municipal employee. Consequently, this member was employed as a duty driver in the municipality's transport division, and despite not attending work, he was paid a total of 2,193,692 AMD from the municipality's budget for supposed wages while working as a guard.

The municipal leader also issued instructions to register his personal driver as an employee, resulting in payments amounting to a total of 4,838,590 AMD, plus 705,640 AMD as medical insurance fees paid to an insurance company, causing a total material damage of 5,544,230 AMD to the Echmiadzin municipality.

Considering that his driver serves as the driver for his family, written instructions were provided to appoint this individual as the deputy of the head of the Residential Communal Administration. As a result, he was appointed to multiple positions without executing any actual work, leading to salary payments totaling 8,887,517 AMD.

Additional payments, including 685,410 AMD for medical insurance of the municipal leader's underage children, were improperly made from the community budget, bringing about a total financial damage of 9,572,927 AMD.

Based on substantial evidence, the former head of the Echmiadzin urban community has been charged under various articles of the Criminal Code. Similar charges have been levelled against the director of the "Barrekargum" institution and the former head of the "Residential Communal Administration".

Preventive measures have been taken against those involved, with a commitment not to leave established for them. Partial restoration of the damages has been achieved during the investigation, which is still ongoing.