Revelation of a Large Sum Embezzlement by Two Members of the Bar Association

A case of embezzlement involving a significant amount of money by two members of the Bar Association of Armenia has been uncovered. According to a statement released by the National Security Service (NSS), they prioritized the fight against various manifestations of corruption.

The NSS conducted operational-investigative measures and investigative actions and obtained factual data indicating that two members of the Bar Association, through contracts to provide legal services to an inmate sentenced to imprisonment in one of the penitentiaries of the Ministry of Justice, attempted to take possession of the inmate's property by abusing the trust placed in them. They allegedly proposed to resolve the issue of conditional early release from punishment by giving a bribe of 7,000 USD, equivalent to 3,331,090 AMD, to an authorized official of the judicial system at the Court of Appeals, thus encouraging the inmate to offer a bribe.

In this context, after receiving the demanded large sum of money under the oversight of the NSS's operational units, the lawyers fraudulently embezzled it. 6,800 USD was discovered in the apartment of one of the lawyers during a search conducted by NSS employees.

A criminal case has been initiated in the NSS's investigative department regarding the apparent commission of a crime under the relevant article of the Criminal Code. Those suspected of committing the crime have been apprehended and arrested, and during interrogation, they confessed to the commission of the crime. The investigation is ongoing.