Prosecutor's Office Demands Former MP to Forfeit Properties in the USA or Their Equivalent Value

The Prosecutor's Office has filed a claim with the Anti-Corruption Court demanding the recovery of 1 billion 390 million drams from former National Assembly member and former head of the Davtashen administrative district, Arthur Gevorgyan, and connected individuals in favor of the state. This was reported by Hetq.

Former MP Arthur Gevorgyan sold his properties in the United States and bought a villa in Glendale for 1.5 million dollars. It should be noted that as early as 2020, it was reported that Gevorgyan had sold his American apartments in 2019 and instead acquired a villa. Gevorgyan had failed to declare his apartments in Glendale and Los Angeles.

The failure to regularly declare the acquisition and transfer of valuable properties led to Gevorgyan being charged. After our publication, the Special Investigative Service initiated a criminal case against him on March 11, 2020. The former high-ranking official is accused of concealing declaration-obligatory information and illegal enrichment.

The prosecutor has instituted public criminal proceedings against former MP Arthur Gevorgyan. On February 24, 2023, the prosecutor continued the public prosecution against Gevorgyan for failing to declare particularly large assets, illegal enrichment, and legalizing especially large assets obtained through criminal means.

Particularly, according to the prosecutor's office, Gevorgyan concealed three immovable properties belonging to him in the United States in his annual declaration of property and income for 2017: an apartment in Woodland Hills acquired for 490,000 USD on April 6, 2011, an apartment on Campbell Street in Glendale acquired for 520,000 USD on August 10, 2015, and an apartment on Whitsett Avenue in the Valley Village neighborhood acquired on June 2, 2016, as well as the declaration-obligatory information regarding the acquisition of 100 percent of shares in Arvivi LLC on January 30, 2017.

According to the lawsuit submitted to the Anti-Corruption Court, the prosecutor demands the forfeiture of two immovable properties located in Armenia and the United States, and one vehicle from Arthur Gevorgyan and connected individuals, or, in case of impossibility, their average market value, approximately 409 million drams. Additionally, the claim includes the recovery of around 1 billion 57 million drams as the balance of illegal cash, as well as 925 million drams as the value of unidentified illegal funds transferred by good faith purchasers. The prosecutor also requests the recovery of a physical person’s outstanding debt amounting to 56 million drams.