Head of Lusaghbyur Community Caused Significant Damage to the State; Case Sent to Court

The investigation into the case of large-scale embezzlement of property and official forgery by authorized officials of the Lusaghbyur community in Lori Province during the implementation of state support programs for the distribution of fertilizers and seeds at affordable prices has been completed. This was reported by the Public Relations Department of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia.

It has been established through a sufficient combination of evidence that within the framework of the state programs aimed at supporting land users, a total of 61.350 kilograms of autumn wheat first reproduction seeds worth 9.8 million AMD were allocated to the Lusaghbyur community from 2012 to 2014, and in 2015, 90.100 kilograms of nitrogen fertilizer worth 10.8 million AMD were allocated. However, the then-community leader, now deceased M. Kh., did not allocate a part of the received fertilizers and wheat seeds to the residents, and a portion of the payments made by the residents for the allocated products was not transferred to the respective organization's designated account.

Instead, through the misuse of his official position, significant amounts of property worth around 16.3 million AMD were embezzled, including fertilizers and autumn wheat seeds, as well as the amounts paid for some of them. Due to M. Kh.'s death, it was not possible to initiate criminal prosecution against him. However, extensive investigative and other procedural actions, conducted under effective prosecutorial supervision, revealed that after the community leader's death, the newly-elected head of the Lusaghbyur community, A. H., knowing that formal names were included in the list of beneficiaries who had purchased or received fertilizers as early as 2015, created fraudulent lists regarding the recipients of nitrogen fertilizers and autumn wheat seeds along with two employees of the community administration to conceal the significant scale of the embezzlement and shield himself and his relatives from property or other material liability.

These fraudulent documents included false information about the residents' receipt of fertilizers and seeds, payments not made for them, existing debts regarding fertilizers and seeds, as well as fictitious individuals not being beneficiaries of fertilizers or the quantities of fertilizers allocated to previously listed beneficiaries. The fraudulent documents were submitted to the Lori Regional Administration, based on which the Government of Armenia approved a decision to waive the obligations related to 7.9 million AMD worth of nitrogen fertilizers and 8.4 million AMD worth of autumn wheat seeds allocated to the Lusaghbyur community. Thus, through deception and the misuse of his official position, significant property damage was inflicted on the state.

For the described acts, A. H., the head of the Lusaghbyur community, has been charged under part 2 of article 184 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, points 1 and 3, and part 1 of article 314 of the Criminal Code, while the aforementioned two employees of the community administration have been charged under part 1 of article 38 and article 314 of the Criminal Code. Measures have been taken against them not to leave their place of residence.

The prosecutor overseeing the legality of the pre-trial investigation has confirmed the accusatory conclusion, and the criminal case has been sent to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Lori Province.