Two Officials Charged with Embezzlement at 'High Voltage Electric Networks'

The Special Investigative Department of the Yerevan City Police is conducting an investigation to clarify all circumstances regarding the alleged embezzlement by employees of 'High Voltage Electric Networks' LLC in a particularly large amount.

The charges have been brought against the chief engineer and the current assistant to the director, who is also the technical director.

A criminal case regarding abuses at 'High Voltage Electric Networks' LLC was initiated on October 18, 2018, following an examination conducted by the Republic of Armenia's State Control Service, with the investigation taking place in the Special Investigative Department of Yerevan City Police.

As a result of extensive investigative actions, it was revealed that the employees of the LLC had committed official forgery and embezzlement amounting to a total of 338,120,370 AMD, related to the theft of a T-5 transformer of type TRDN 40000/110/10.

Specifically, during the investigation, it became clear that four employees of the ‘North’ branch of 'High Voltage Electric Networks' LLC, acting as temporarily performing administrative duties—namely, the head and members of the evaluation commission, the branch director, and the assistant chief engineer—based on prior agreement, formed a false technical act regarding the technical malfunction of the transformer owned by the branch.

This act was prepared on October 4, 2012, with the aim of clarifying the reasons for the gas relay's malfunction at the 'Vanadzor 1' substation’s transformer. Following the order of the assistant chief engineer, the transformer was removed from operation, and by June 2014, it was decommissioned and sold to the Ministry of Defense for scrap metal, amounting to 19,346,400 AMD, in accordance with the Government decision dated July 18, 2013.

The investigation has obtained information that the mentioned transformer was subsequently transferred and installed at the substation belonging to a private company in Charentsavan, Kotayk Province, and without undergoing any repair work, it was put under load in the summer of 2018. As a result, the transformer, valued at 338,120,370 AMD, was stolen through embezzlement methods.

Based on sufficient evidence gathered, charges have been brought against the chief engineer of the Northern branch of 'High Voltage Electric Networks' LLC and the former assistant chief engineer, who is currently the assistant director and technical director, under clauses 1 of part 3 of Article 179 and part 1 of Article 314 of the RA Criminal Code. A preventive measure has been chosen in the form of signing a pledge not to leave.

The investigation is ongoing.