38-Year-Old Citizen Created Fake Pages Under Famous Names and Committed Fraud

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has reported that significant details concerning fraud committed through fake Facebook pages created under the names of well-known public figures have been uncovered during the investigation of a criminal case being handled by the Main Investigative Department for Particularly Important Cases.

As a result of investigative and procedural actions, it was determined that the perpetrator, a resident of Ararat province, had engaged in significant thefts by deceit and exploitation of trust through various users on the internet. The investigation revealed that between June 2020 and October 2021, he registered fake pages on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram using the names of publicly recognizable individuals like “Vardan Srmakesh,” “Alen Simonyan,” “Hayk Sargsyan,” “Sasi Artak,” “Samvel Karapetyan,” and “Sargis Karapetyan.”

Within the framework of the criminal case, it was established that the perpetrator presented himself as “Sargis Karapetyan,” the son of a well-known Armenian businessman who had implemented various charitable programs in Armenia. By leveraging the businessman’s reputation to create an impression as a credible individual, he initiated correspondence via the fake page with female users on Facebook, claiming to run charitable programs supporting various vulnerable groups in Armenia.

Initially leaving a positive impression and creating a false sense of trust among users, he communicated during these interactions that he experienced technical issues with non-cash funds he intended to use for his charitable programs. Claiming that these expenses were minor and wouldn't be comfortable to ask from his close contacts, he requested users to transfer money to his “Idram” electronic wallet account, promising to pay it back.

Due to the positive impressions derived from the fake profile and personalized communications, users regularly transferred various amounts of money to the accounts provided by him, believing they were interacting with the businessman’s son. To maintain the illusion of charity, he returned a portion of the funds during that period, further solidifying user trust. Ultimately, he fraudulently stole a total of 1,702,000 AMD.

During the preliminary investigation, further information emerged regarding other offenses committed by the same individual. Notably, it was revealed that, taking advantage of the trust developed through correspondence on his fake page, he expressed feelings for one female user, engaged in romantic overtures, and requested her to send him semi-nude videos under his guise as the businessman’s son. Deceived, the woman sent the videos, and when he revealed his true identity and further communications failed, he threatened to share the videos online, making them accessible to her daughter’s classmates and parents.

The woman, in despair, attempted to take her own life by exceeding the therapeutic dosage of psychoactive medications. Fortunately, she received timely medical intervention, saving her life.

As a result of joint actions by the investigative authority and police officers of Armenia, the 38-year-old suspect was identified and arrested. Based on the collection of sufficient evidence, he was charged under Articles 110 (1), 144, and 178 (2)(2) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. A motion was submitted to the court for his detention, which was granted. The preliminary investigation continues, aiming to clarify all circumstances of the incident and comprehensively pursue justice for the victims.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia informs that all citizens who have been victims of actions by the registered fake account under the named individuals are encouraged to contact the investigative authority.

Note: The suspect in the alleged crime is considered innocent until proven guilty under the law, as stipulated by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia, and a legally binding court decision.