Ex-Head of Ghazanchi Community Embezzles 3,660,000 AMD, SSC Reveals

Revealed are incidents of embezzlement of a particularly large sum of money by the former head of the Ghazanchi community in the Shirak region, abuse of official powers, and official forgery. This was reported by the information department of the National Security Service (NSS).

It is mentioned that the community head embezzled 3,660,000 AMD belonging to the community. The NSS statement is presented below:

“As a result of operational-investigative measures taken by the employees of the NSS Shirak Regional Department, factual data have been obtained indicating that S.G., who has been the head of the Ghazanchi community in the Shirak region since 2012, for selfish purposes, introduced clearly false information or entries into official documents, with a single intent, and illegally, without compensation, through selfish incentives, embezzled and misappropriated a particularly large amount of money amounting to 3,660,000 AMD during the years 2013-2016, committed official forgeries, and abused his official powers.

Specifically, during 2014-2016, S.G. appointed A.H. as the community accountant, and under conditions of A.H.'s non-attendance and failure to fulfill work duties, he prepared, approved, and verified timekeeping calculation reports containing false information regarding the mentioned employee’s attendance at work and performance of functional duties. Subsequently, by circulating these falsely documented reports, he presented them for payment in the form of salary and settlements, resulting in the unjustified withdrawal of approximately 2,100,000 AMD from the community budget in the name of A.H.

Continuing to carry out his criminal intent to embezzle a particularly large sum, during the period of 2013-2016, S.G. reached a preliminary agreement with tax agent K.G. and, under the pretext of providing support to socially vulnerable individuals, withdrew around 700,000 AMD from the community budget, which he did not allocate to these individuals but instead embezzled.

Additionally, S.G. transferred 380,000 AMD during 2013-2014 to one of the legal service-providing LLCs for legal services to his wife, V.Sh., without following the established procedures, that is, without a council decision, thus wasting funds withdrawn from the community budget. Similarly, under the pretext of leasing property and equipment to the community, he embezzled 300,000 AMD from the community budget on October 30, 2015.

In 2016, S.G. also entered into a fictitious contract with the secretary of the community administration, E.G., allegedly for the needs of the administration, renting out his personal “Renault” vehicle and received a total of 180,000 AMD, which he embezzled.

In October 2016, driven by personal interest, S.G. made a unilateral decision, prepared and used false documents of legal significance, organized a formal auction, as a result of which he provided long-term lease of community-owned agricultural lands of 2.45 and 3 hectares to his wife, V.Sh., causing significant damage to the legal interests of the community, which was deprived of the opportunity to manage, possess, and generate legal income through the proper auction process.

A criminal case has been initiated at the investigation department of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia regarding the aforementioned cases of embezzlement, abuse of official position, and official forgery, under points 1 of part 3 of Article 179, part 1 of Article 308, and part 1 of Article 314 of the RA Criminal Code.”