Pandora Papers: The Offspring of Former MPs in Offshore Investigations

The "Pandora Papers" have made a significant impact, revealing not only Armenian officials and businessmen but also their connected individuals, including their offspring. Among them are Vardane Ayvazyan’s daughter, the former Minister of Nature Protection and MP, as well as the sons of former MPs Gagik and Armen Abrahamyan, who are brothers of Ara Abrahamyan, president of the Union of Armenians in Russia, as reported by "Hetq".

It should be noted that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and its collaborating media, including "Hetq," are continuing to examine documents leaked from various offshore zones, referred to as the "Pandora Papers." The package contains more than 27,000 companies and their owners (around 30,000 individuals) linked to over 200 countries and territories worldwide, indicating the vast geographical scale of the leaked documents. The 2.94 terabyte document package is the largest ever published by the ICIJ, also including Armenian beneficial owners, including officials, businessmen, their relatives, and close associates. The total number of leaked documents reaches 11.9 million.

These documents have been leaked from 14 companies providing services in offshore zones. They are intermediary or agent organizations helping establish formal companies in tax haven offshore zones for various purposes.

Why did businessman MP Gagik Abrahamyan's son establish a company in offshore zones?

Ara Abrahamyan, president of the Union of Armenians in Russia, has four brothers (Alexandr, Seryozha, Gagik, and Armen) and one sister (Karine). Seryozha, Gagik, and Armen Abrahamyan, being non-partisan, were previously MPs from various factions. Between 2007-2012, Gagik Abrahamyan represented the ruling Republican Party, Seryozha Abrahamyan was from the ruling coalition's Orinats Yerkir party, while Armen Abrahamyan belonged to another coalition team—Prosperous Armenia.

Gagik holds the longest political biography among the Abrahamyan brothers. He served as an MP from 1990-1995 (as a member of the ruling Armenian National Movement faction), from 1995-1999 (from the ruling “Republic” alliance), and from 2007-2012 (from the ruling Republican Party). Between 1993-1998, he was the director of the state diamond company “Shoghak”, where he earned the nickname “Brilliant Gago.” In 1998, he founded the diamond company “D.C.A.” LLC, and in 2001, he established the jewelry company “J.C.A.” LLC. From 2002-2004, Gagik Abrahamyan served as the honorary consul of Armenia in North Korea. In 2006, he became the president of the International Association of Jewelers of Armenia.

The former MP is also an extensive landowner. In 2018, "Hetq" reported on the old and new mansions built by former officials opposite the "Victory" Park in Yerevan; it stated that G. Abrahamyan owned the largest land parcel (1.3 hectares), and his mansion had the highest cadastral value (428 million AMD) in the country, according to the RA Cadastre Committee. Next to his mansion, he built another, which has housed the Japanese Embassy in Armenia as a tenant.

In 2020, the media also reported on land plots acquired and rented by different individuals at the site of the Dalma Gardens. Among them, Gagik Abrahamyan's companies, “D.C.A.” and “J.C.A.”, occupy 3.8 hectares of land at Ayasy 114.

Much can be said about Gagik Abrahamyan, but we will refrain and focus on his son, Aram Abrahamyan, and his offshore dealings.

One of the 14 agents that facilitated the