The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, within the powers vested upon it by the law in the sphere of the fight against the legalization of proceeds from crime, by the combination of sufficient evidence obtained as a result of investigative and operational and search measures undertaken in the criminal case being investigated in the Investigation Department of the RA NSS, on 13 April 2020 brought a charge against a vicar of one of the dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

 According to the obtained factual data, in the summer of 2010, the latter with prior agreement with a person who had godfather-godson relations with him, by fraud – under the false pretext of increasing productivity in case of а 12.000.000 USD investment in the diamond mines allegedly belonging to him in the African continent, reprocessing and selling the extracted rough diamonds in the Republic of Armenia, got one of the Armenian entrepreneurs interested in making the above-mentioned investment. Then, they acquired rights to a number of real property objects in particularly large amounts - with the total value of 11.442.068.000 AMD – belonging to the latter and the people close to him, and having pledged them, during the period of 28 June 2010 – 27 June 2011 received from a commercial bank of RA and unhindered disposed 9 mln. USD, equivalent to 3.664.175.000 AMD, and loan funds in the amount of 361.500.000 AMD, concealing and distorting the source of their origin, movement and ownership through a number of banking and commercial transactions, transfers, conversions.  

With a view of legalizing illegal proceeds, a company was used that had been founded beforehand, in the spring of 2010, in an offshore zone by the members of the criminal group and 33% of the share of which belonged to the above-mentioned clergyman.

After the given crimes had been solved, the clergyman during 2013, having promised to help, persuaded the wanted accomplice to take full responsibility and undertake actions aimed at falsifying and destroying evidence of his participation in the crime.  

А written undertaking not to leave the place has been chosen as a measure of restraint against the accused.

The preliminary investigation is in process, measures are being taken to detect all persons involved in the commitment of the crime and subject them to criminal liability, as well as to restore the damage caused.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his/her guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.