Large-Scale Money Laundering: Senior Police Official Charged

During the pre-trial investigation of a criminal case regarding the concealment of declaration data of particularly large assets and incomes at the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia, sufficient evidence has been obtained which substantiates that Arshak Hakobyan, as of July 1, 2017, holding the position of head of a relevant division of the Armenian police and being a declaration-submitting official, intentionally concealed declaration-subject data, leading to the non-declaration of particularly large assets and the legalization of particularly large assets obtained through criminal means amounting to 22,007,259 AMD. This information has been reported by the Anti-Corruption Committee.

According to the charges, Arshak Hakobyan deliberately concealed the declaration-subject property, specifically a house with a cadastral value exceeding 7 million AMD, in the reports submitted during 2017 when taking office and in the annual declaration for that same year, as well as in the declaration submitted in 2018 when he resigned.

Additionally, the aforementioned police official did not declare two vehicles acquired through a donation agreement, valued at 43,069,500 AMD equivalent to 90,000 USD for the 2017-made 'Mersedes-Benz GLS 500 4matik' and the 2008 'Samand Soren 1.8'.

Specifically, the investigation has acquired evidence that Arshak Hakobyan purchased the 'Mersedes-Benz GLS 500 4matik' vehicle through cash payment, and then, to conceal the true nature and criminal origin of the paid amount, structured the cash transaction as a donation, thereby factually hiding and distorting the true origin of his illegally obtained particularly large cash amount.

On November 29, 2021, Arshak Hakobyan was arrested by the investigator of the Anti-Corruption Committee. On the same day, he was charged under Article 314.3, Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code for intentionally concealing particularly large declarable assets and Article 190, Part 3, Points 1 and 3 of the RA Criminal Code for the legalization of especially large assets obtained through criminal means.

The investigator of the Anti-Corruption Committee has submitted a motion to the General Jurisdiction Court of Yerevan to select detention as a measure of restraint against Hakobyan. The pre-trial investigation continues.

Notice: The person suspected or accused of an alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court judgment that has entered into legal force, in accordance with the procedures established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia.