9.5 Million Dram Embezzlement: Lieutenant Colonel Arrested

The Armed Forces Investigative Department of the Republic of Armenia has charged a lieutenant colonel with large-scale embezzlement and abuse of office. This information was reported by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

According to the preliminary investigation, factual data was obtained indicating that from April 2016 to July 2019, the commander of a division within the Ministry of Defense’s military unit N misappropriated large quantities of military fuel, which were entrusted to him, through embezzlement from the inviolable stock for his division. Specifically, he stole a total of 9,538,457 AMD worth of 19,950 liters of winter diesel fuel and 100 liters of gasoline, as well as 900 liters of gasoline from the current military supplies, which he later sold and misappropriated the proceeds.

Furthermore, the lieutenant colonel failed to report an incident of theft from a radar station under his command to his superiors as required, thereby delaying the notification to law enforcement by several months.

Based on sufficient evidence gathered, the lieutenant colonel has been charged with committing offenses stipulated under Article 179, Part 3, Clause 1, and Article 375, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. As a preventive measure, he has been placed under arrest.

The preliminary investigation continues.

Note: A suspect or accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedures established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, based on a legally binding court verdict.