The Investigative Committee Indicts the Mayor of Mets Ayrum and His Brother

The Investigative Committee informs that charges have been filed against the mayor of the Mets Ayrum community in Lori Province and his brother regarding official forgery, abuse of official powers, document forgery, and large-scale fraud based on an investigated criminal case.

“In the Tumanyan Division of the Lori Provincial Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee, in the context of the criminal case investigated for official forgery, abuse of official powers, document forgery, and large-scale fraud, it has been established and substantiated that during the period from 2012 to 2017, the mayor of the Mets Ayrum community in Lori Province was aware that his brother's family was registered as a beneficiary in the social security assessment system, and if he hired him in the municipality, the family would lose the right to receive family benefits. He reached an agreement with his directly subordinate secretary of the municipal staff and his brother, after which he formally appointed his brother to the position of a driver.

Subsequently, the community leader created and certified with his signature and the village council's seal false payment orders, which included false information that the secretary’s brother allegedly attended work, performed the duties of a driver, and was entitled to payment for his work. In turn, the mayor's brother, during the period from 2012 to 2016, while actually performing the duties of a driver, provided false information in the annual applications-declarations submitted to the regional social support agency of the Lori Marz, stating that he had no other income and fraudulently misappropriated 1,706,000 AMD in benefits, causing significant damage to the state.

Based on the collection of sufficient evidence, the mayor has been charged with abuse of official powers and official forgery, while his brother has been charged with document forgery and large-scale fraud. The preliminary investigation has been completed, and the criminal case has been sent to court with a prosecution conclusion.

Notice: A suspect or defendant in an alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the criminal procedure code of the RA by a court decision that has entered into legal force.