Gevorg Melikyan, the 'Thief in Law' from Oshakan, Arrested

During the preliminary investigation of a criminal case being conducted by the Special Investigative Service of the Republic of Armenia, it has been revealed that a person with the highest status in the criminal hierarchy operated in accordance with the behavioral rules established and recognized by a criminal subculture group. This individual created and led a gathering of persons endowed with criminal hierarchy and interpersonal hierarchical relationships. They learned from members of the criminal subculture group that a citizen of Armenia, identified as H.M., had earned a large amount of money during his activities in the Russian Federation, and demanded an illegal benefit amounting to 250,000 US dollars from him.

H.M.'s sister, upon learning about the described issues, approached S.H., a person with the highest status in the criminal hierarchy, who undertook to resolve the emerging financial problem with the aim of achieving the objectives pursued by the criminal subculture group and obtaining illegal benefits. As a result, an agreement was reached between S.H. and G.M. to pay a lesser amount equivalent to 66,000 US dollars, specifically 25,522,200 Armenian drams, which was transferred by the victim to G.M.

During the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, public criminal proceedings were initiated against G.M. under Part 1 of Article 322 of the Criminal Code (granting, receiving, or maintaining the highest status in the criminal hierarchy) and under Part 2, Clause 5 of Article 323 (creation or leadership of a criminal subculture group by a person with the highest status in the criminal hierarchy). S.H. is also charged under Part 1 of Article 322. G.M. has been arrested, and a decision regarding S.H.'s arrest has been made for submission to the court. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case is ongoing.