Investigation Concludes Into Multiple Crimes Committed by Aram Vardanyan

The investigation into a series of crimes committed by A. Vardanyan, including providing false information to civil registry authorities, document forgery, extortion, and legitimizing property obtained through criminal means, has concluded at the Main Investigation Department of the Special Cases Investigation Committee of the Republic of Armenia. This information was shared by the Information and Public Relations Division of the Committee.

As a result of extensive investigative and other procedural actions, it was revealed that in 2012, Vardanyan, after receiving an offer from an acquaintance to assist in returning a monetary obligation, agreed to meet with the debtor first in the area located in Nor-Nork, Yerevan, and then at his private house. During these meetings, he threatened the debtor with violence, demanding and receiving $50,000, in addition to obtaining a Mercedes G-class vehicle belonging to the debtor for another $50,000, which he then registered in his name. He also acquired the debtor’s mother’s house for an additional $50,000, ultimately extorting a total of 60 million 261 thousand AMD (approximately equivalent to the extorted monetary sums and properties).

Following this, A. Vardanyan intended to legitimize the above-mentioned house, valued at 20,087,000 AMD (equivalent to $50,000), acquired through extortion. To conceal the actual source of its origin, he instructed a close associate to formalize a sale agreement with the debtor's mother. Consequently, on September 28, 2012, the house sale agreement was signed. However, without providing the agreed payment for the property, he transferred the ownership rights of the house to his associate's name, thereby legitimizing the unlawfully obtained property, which was later sold.

In addition, while being involved in criminal proceedings as a defendant in the case conducted by the Special Investigation Service of Armenia and utilizing bail as an alternative measure to detention, Vardanyan, aware of the draft law on amnesty in circulation, which allowed individuals sentenced to a maximum of six years imprisonment to be released from punishment under certain conditions, cooperated with a single mother to provide false information to the civil registry authorities regarding being the biological father of her daughter, thus creating grounds to evade criminal responsibility. On October 29, 2018, three days prior to the law's adoption, he submitted a request about the determination of paternity to the civil registration authority.

Despite being warned of legal liability for providing false information, and not being the biological father, he registered himself as the biological father of a child born on August 30, 2018, thereby acquiring paternity rights and obtaining a state certificate of paternity that was fraudulent in nature. Subsequently, on January 17, 2019, during the substantive consideration of the criminal case in court, Vardanyan presented this false certificate, leading the court to decide to terminate criminal prosecution against him based on point 2 of part 5 of article 2 of the law on amnesty.

Based on sufficient evidence, A. Vardanyan has been charged under Article 182 (extortion) part 3 point 2, Article 190 (legitimization of property obtained through criminal means, i.e., money laundering) part 3 point 1, Article 1691 (providing false information to civil registry authorities), and Article 325 (forgery, use, or placement of stamps, seals, and forms, and vehicle registration plates) part 1 of the RA Criminal Code. He has been placed under arrest as a preventive measure. The investigation is complete, and the criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor's office for approval of the indictment.

Notification: A person suspected or accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the established procedure of the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a legally binding court ruling.