New Details Unveiled in the Case of Vahan Kerobyan's Arrest

The investigative department of the Special Cases of the RA Investigative Committee has revealed a corruption case committed by a criminal organization from 2008 to 2014 during the extensive investigative actions carried out within the framework of the initiated criminal proceedings.

Specifically, during the investigation, it was clarified that the owner of a wine-brandy factory, H.M., having close ties with the former head of the territorial division of the Cadastre Committee and G.A., a de facto owner of several companies, illegally withdrew 40 ha, 19.3 ha, and 14.5 ha plots of land from the property fund of Yerevan municipality using forged documents. These lands were registered under the names of individuals and legal entities connected to H.M. with the aim of embezzling large sums of money through fraud and laundering criminal proceeds.

Members of the criminal organization pledged these properties through their affiliated companies to various commercial banks at different times, acquiring loans amounting to 10 million USD or more. Subsequently, the former head of the Cadastre Committee's territorial division abused his official powers, committing official forgery and fraud, providing the leaders and participants of the criminal organization with fake certificates of ownership for several land plots belonging to the Yerevan municipality, enabling money laundering through a series of formal civil transactions by these individuals.

Realizing that the aforementioned land plots had been acquired through multiple criminal activities and carry a criminal origin, the participants of the criminal organization proceeded with the objectives laid out by their leaders. As a result of the procedural and evidentiary actions carried out during the pre-trial investigation, the circle of individuals involved in the criminal organization was revealed. More than ten searches were conducted in the homes of these individuals, during which objects significant to the criminal proceedings were found.

For 6 individuals, public criminal prosecution has been initiated under part 1 of Article 319 of the Criminal Code (Participation in a criminal organization) and point 3 of part 3 of Article 296 (Money laundering on a particularly large scale). For 4 individuals, prosecution has been initiated under the same article and provisions as mentioned above, and others are charged with creating or leading a criminal organization, large-scale fraud, and money laundering.

12 individuals have been ordered to be arrested. 7 individuals have been detained. AuroraNews was informed from the Investigative Committee that among those arrested is also the former Minister of Economy, Vahan Kerobyan. The pre-trial investigation of the criminal proceedings continues.