Gyumri Social Support Workers Accused of Receiving Illegal Compensation from Beneficiaries

The National Security Service of Armenia has conducted a complex operational-investigative measure that revealed factual evidence indicating that the heads of the territorial social support divisions No. 1 and No. 2 in Gyumri, A.E. and E.B., in preliminary agreement with their subordinate employees, have been demanding and receiving illegal compensation from socially disadvantaged citizens through extortion for years.

On June 30, 2020, at 10:30 AM, an employee of the territorial division, A.H., was arrested immediately after handing over the collected sum of 100,000 AMD from socially disadvantaged citizens to the head of the division, A.E. During a personal search of A.E., the illegal compensation amounting to 100,000 AMD was found.

Based on this incident, the investigative department of the National Security Service initiated criminal proceedings on June 30, 2020, under Articles 311.1, parts 1, 2, and 3, and Article 312.1, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, due to the characteristics of the crimes committed.

Through extensive investigative and operational measures, it was discovered that for years, up until June 30, 2020, a group of employees from the social support territorial divisions had implemented a pre-designed corruption scheme, thus misappropriating funds provided by the state as assistance to socially disadvantaged groups or offering them for illegal compensation to families in need or non-disadvantaged families.

The investigation revealed that the employees of these social support divisions demanded and received illegal compensations of 30,000 to 60,000 AMD from registered beneficiary families every time documentation was needed. Part of the collected sums was kept by the employees while the rest was forwarded to their leaders. Similarly, to include disadvantaged citizens in social support programs, public servants who were not officials received 18,000 AMD for one month from the amount designated for three months, of which 10,000 AMD was sent to the head of the division, while 8,000 AMD was retained.

During the investigation, searches were conducted in the apartments and offices of several dozen employees, resulting in the discovery of notebooks containing handwritten notes on citizens who provided illegal compensations to public servants for social support, cash that served as illegal compensation, and records containing personal details and phone numbers of social assistance beneficiaries.

Several citizens who provided illegal compensations were identified and interrogated, admitting that over months or years, they had given illegal compensations to the heads of the territorial social divisions or their employees in exchange for receiving benefits or being included in relevant assistance programs, detailing the amounts given each time.

Citizens stated in their testimonies that the collection of funds was widespread, and without these illegal compensations, they could not receive assistance or be included in available social support programs, even through legal means.

Based on direct suspicion of committing the crime, six employees of the territorial division, including the head and chief specialists, were arrested. For more than ten other employees, the precautionary measure of signing not to leave was chosen.

The majority of the employees involved as suspects in the criminal cases, under pressure from undeniable factual evidence, provided self-incriminating testimony and outlined the details of the corruption mechanisms operated in their territorial division for years, including the personal details of citizens who demanded illegal compensations, the monthly amounts of income received through illegal means, and the methods for managing and distributing these funds.

Urgent investigative and procedural actions are being undertaken to clarify the entire circle of individuals involved in the commission of the crime, determine the identity of other citizens who provided illegal compensations, and assess the actual extent of damage inflicted on the state.

The National Security Service of Armenia urges the public to report immediately to law enforcement agencies in cases of illegal demands for compensation by public servants or other illegal actions.

It is also noted that according to Article 312.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, a person who gives illegal compensation is exempt from criminal liability if it occurred due to extortion and the person voluntarily reported the fact of illegal compensation to law enforcement bodies before it became known to them, but no later than three days after committing the crime, and assisted in uncovering the offense.

Note: A person suspected of an alleged crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia by a legally binding court judgment.