Fraudulent Scheme Targeting Students: Investigation Concluded

A fraudulent scheme has resulted in the theft of funds from students. The investigation has concluded regarding the leaders of three educational institutions and two employees, as reported by the Investigative Committee.

"The investigation in the Department of Serious Crimes of the Investigative Committee of Armenia has been completed concerning a case where the head of an educational institution, in collaboration with two former heads of another educational institution and with the assistance of others, received and embezzled a total of 18,159,000 AMD from 86 students through fraudulent means, as well as the issuance of fake documents by one of them.

It was established during the investigation that from December 2013 to May 2016, A.H., together with the two former directors of 'Haybusak' University, presented the institution he managed as the Ijevan branch of 'Haybusak' College in the building of 'Ijevan Medical Center' CJSC and organized and carried out the admission of students, course organization, examination administration, the issuance of graduation diplomas, and the collection of fees accordingly. Without having the necessary license to provide intermediate vocational education and qualifications, he misrepresented the branch as a legally operating educational institution to new applicants who had applied and enrolled after December 19, 2013 and collected fees under the premise that diplomas were valid and legally binding official documents.

As a result, he received a total of 16,064,000 AMD through direct payments and bank transfers under the guise of admission applications, annual fees, permission to retake examinations, and the issuance of diplomas, either alone or in collaboration with An. and S.H., with the assistance of the accountant of 'Haybusak' University, Sh.G., and the rector of the Yerevan base college of 'Haybusak' University, A.H.

Moreover, from December 19, 2013, to November 16, 2018, A.H., in collaboration with A.H., fraudulently issued fake diplomas regarding the graduation from the 'Yerevan Basic College of Haybusak University' to 23 students prepared through the aforementioned actions. Additionally, between May 31, 2016, and July 2017, acting as the director of 'Management Eastern College' LLC, he presented his managed educational institution at the relevant address in Ijevan as a legally operating institution without the necessary license to offer intermediate vocational education and qualifications, asserting that it was a licensed Management Eastern College.

Continuing to collect money from both diplomants and new applicants under false pretenses, he fraudulently embezzled 2,095,000 AMD from unsettled students and new applicants.

Based on the obtained evidence, A.H. has been charged under Article 178, Part 3, Point 1 of the former Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia and Articles 457, Parts 1 and 2 of the current Criminal Code, while An.H. and S.H. are also charged under Article 178, Part 3, Point 1 of the former Criminal Code. A.H. is charged under Article 38-178, Part 3, Point 1 and Article 457, Part 2 of the current Criminal Code, and Sh.G. under Article 38-178, Part 3, Point 1 of the former Criminal Code.

For the defendants An.H., S.H., and A.H., a bail measure has been chosen, each in the amount of 5,000,000 AMD, while a travel restriction has been imposed on A.H. and Sh.G. During the investigation, the total damage of 15,074,000 AMD caused to the victims has been recovered. The investigation regarding these five individuals has been completed as of May 27, 2024, and the criminal proceedings have been forwarded to the supervising prosecutor for approval of the accusatory conclusion and sending the case to court," the statement concludes.