Charges Filed Against 24-Year-Old Employee of a Travel Agency

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has completed the preliminary investigation into a criminal case regarding large-scale fraud and embezzlement committed by a representative of travel organizations, as reported by the Committee's press service.

As a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions carried out during the pre-trial proceedings, the mechanism of the fraudulent theft and embezzlement was revealed. One of the travel organizations, as well as a total of 55 individuals, were recognized as victims in the criminal case.

It was specifically established during the investigation that a female resident of Yerevan, born in 1995, served as a sales manager at a travel agency in Yerevan from January 2018 until September of the same year, and acted as a materially responsible person. Exploiting the authorities granted to her, she made bookings in various hotels and restaurant complexes operating in Armenia in the name of the organization through both official and unofficial email addresses. In total, she embezzled a substantial amount of 9,610,515 AMD from citizens who had approached the organization, causing significant material damage to the company.

Furthermore, it was revealed that the 24-year-old also held the position of director at another travel agency in Yerevan, through which she continued her criminal activities. From October 2018 to April 2019, with the intent to commit theft of others' property through deceit, she fraudulently obtained 40,526,125 AMD from 55 citizens who approached her for airline tickets, transfers, and hotel bookings for traveling to various countries.

The investigation indicated that the young woman gained the trust of the aforementioned citizens by offering prices significantly lower than the market rate and entered into formal contracts for the provision of services, initially aiming to embezzle the money intended for purchasing airline tickets, paying for hotels, and ensuring transfers, without fulfilling her obligations.

Subsequently, she deceitfully misrepresented that the bookings for the hotel, transfer, and airline tickets had already been made, from which she received and embezzled various amounts of money from citizens, either in cash or through bank transfers.

Based on sufficient evidence, charges have been brought against the 24-year-old under Article 178, Part 3, Clause 1 and Article 179, Part 3, Clause 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. Pre-trial detention has been chosen as a measure of restraint for her. The completion of the preliminary investigation has been announced, and the criminal case has been sent to court with a charge resolution.