Preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding regarding money laundering in particularly large amount, abuse of official position, and official forgery was completed in General Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee.

As a result of large-scale investigative and procedural actions conducted in the course of the preliminary investigation, factual data were obtained on the allegation that in 2006, authorized officials of Echmiadzin Municipality, abusing their official powers, unlawfully alienated unfinished buildings and land plots adjacent to a secondary school on Baghramyan Street in Echmiadzin town, with a cadastral value of 23 million 409 thousand 960 AMD. The properties were in fact acquired by N.M., the mother of K.G., who held the position of Deputy Mayor. However, for the purpose of concealing the criminal origin of property in particularly large amount, ownership of the properties was registered in the name of S.S., a person affiliated with N.M.

For the purpose of concealing the criminal origin and ownership of the aforementioned properties, in 2020, S.S. reached a prior agreement with A.H., a resident of Echmiadzin, to disguise the properties’ criminal origin and actual ownership by entering into sham transactions concerning the properties with the RA Cadastre Committee.

At A.H.’s request, M.P., a close associate of A.H. and Head of “Spitak” Service Office of the RA Cadastre Committee, abusing his official position, instructed A.M., a senior specialist subordinate to him at the same office, to prepare and put into circulation forged donation agreements, according to which S.S. had allegedly transferred the real estate properties of criminal origin to A.H. as a gift.

Senior specialist A.M., acting on the instructions of his superior, prepared forged agreements purporting to transfer the properties of criminal origin to A.H. as a gift.

Subsequently, between June 3 and 5, 2020, A.H. and S.S. submitted applications to various departments of the RA Cadastre Committee, requesting the registration of rights arising from the forged agreements and then asking that the registration not be carried out, with the aim of presenting S.S. as the rightful owner of the properties.

Furthermore, during a search conducted in M.P.’s apartment, approximately three dozen cartridges of various calibers, classified as ammunition, were discovered and seized.

In the course of the preliminary investigation, by the supervising prosecutor’s decision, public criminal prosecution was initiated against A.H. according to the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 190, the Part 2 of the Article 38-308 of RA Criminal Code adopted on 18.04.2003, against A.M. - according to the Points 1 and 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 190, the Part 2 of the Article 308, the Part 1 of the Article 314 of RA Criminal Code adopted on 18.04.2003,  against M.P.-  according to the Points 1 and 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 190, the Part 2 of the Article 308 of RA Criminal Code adopted on 18.04.2003 and the Part 1 of the Article 335 of RA Criminal Code.

Home detention and absence ban was applied as a pretrial measure against M.P., administrative supervision, suspension of office and absence ban – against A.M., and absence ban – against A.H..

The criminal proceeding with the bill of indictment was referred to the supervising prosecutor.