Video: NSS Reveals Case of Extorting Large Sums from Soldier's Relatives via Fraud

The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia has announced the revelation of a fraud case where a large sum of money was extorted from the relatives of a soldier.

Through operational and investigative measures conducted by the NSS divisions in Yerevan and Shirak province, it was established that V. Gh.—upon learning that conscript H. A. had gone missing during the war unleashed by the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh on September 27, 2020—intentionally defrauded H. A.'s father, A. A., in January 2021, by presenting himself as an individual with connections to certain persons in a foreign state.

During meetings with A. A., V. Gh. informed him that he had allegedly confirmed that the son was held in one of Azerbaijan's penal institutions and that to facilitate his transfer first to another country and then to the Republic of Armenia, a sum of $30,000 was required to be paid to his trusted persons abroad.

To deceive A. A. further and exert influence over his consciousness and will, V. Gh. claimed that supposedly $15,000 of this amount would be covered by the 'White Cross' initiative, while the remaining $15,000 was to be demanded from A. A.

To disguise the purpose of the theft, V. Gh. suggested on February 22, 2021, to formalize the said amount notarially as a loan from A. A. to himself.

Realizing his criminal intent, V. Gh. deceitfully received amounts equivalent to 15,000 USD, which was 7,896,750 AMD, from A. A. on February 24, 2021, around 15:45 in a café on Tigran Metz Avenue in Yerevan. He was immediately apprehended by NSS officers before completing the crime.

A criminal case under the third part of the first paragraph of Article 34-178 of the RA Criminal Code has been initiated by the investigative department of the NSS concerning the incident. Based on direct suspicion of committing the crime, V. Gh. has been arrested, and a motion has been filed to apply detention as a preventive measure, which has been granted by the court.

Necessary investigative and other procedural actions are being conducted using legally permitted means to clarify all circumstances of the case and the full scope of the victims involved.

Dear compatriots, the National Security Service urges you to refrain from entering into transactions with individuals exhibiting such criminal tendencies and assures that the state continues to take effective measures to facilitate the return of our compatriots held captive.

Notice: The suspect or accused in the alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code and by a legally binding court decision.