Through preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding investigated in the Division of Investigation of Grave Crimes of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee sufficient factual data were obtained on defaming a person through the chairman of the party "Public Voice" by another person and stealing property in particularly large amount by cheating under the pretext of forcing to return the invested money.
 

Particularly, the resident of Yerevan Hayk Khachatryan, born on 09.04.1980, with prior agreement with the chairman of the party “Public Voice” Artak Galstyan on committing swindling in a group, in the office of the mentioned party made false promises to K.A. to make public the case of not returning the amount of 34.000 USD by the lessor invested by K.A. to establish a food court in Hrazdan town of Kotayk region through Vardan Ghukasyan with a nickname “Dog”, to disseminate defamatory information about the lessor in case K.A. transferred 8.000.000 AMD to Artak Galstyan. In the result of this, the return of 34.000 USD as well as 8.000.000 AMD to be given to them would be ensured. K.A. informed his friend Sh. A. about the content of the mentioned conversation and introduced him to Hayk Khachatryan.
 

After it on June 23, 2022, in order to disguise the crime planned by the group and give a civil-legal character to it, Hayk Khachatryan signed a loan agreement with Sh.A to return the sum of 8,000,000 AMD in two months and the next day – on June 24, 2022 receiving 8.000.000 AMD -the object of the swindling in hand from Sh.A., went to the office of the party “Public Voice” with K.A.. In the office, by Artak Galstyan’s instruction, Hayk Khachatryan gave a part of the swindled money – 6.000.000 AMD to the person engaged in lawyer’s activity and kept the rest of the money – 2.000.000 AMD with him then he confirmed that the return of 34.000 USD invested for the activity of the food court and 8.000.000 AMD to K.A. would be ensured in a short time by disseminating defamatory information about the lessor. 
 

Over the next few days in order to create the illusion of fulfillment of promises made to the victim, though Vardan Ghukasyan referred to the above-mentioned issue and by disseminating defamatory information about the lessor submitted futile demands to assume property obligations, the members of the criminal group did not take up any process to solve the property problems of K.A. and in this way stole the latter’s money in particularly large amount – 8.000.000 AMD.

Hayk Khachatryan in the photo

Besides the above-mentioned, Hayk Khachatryan introducing himself as a person with great connections and opportunities in the Russian law enforcement system, with a business reputation, under the pretext of releasing a person under custody, establishing a taxi service office in Yerevan, repairing, advertising it, buying cars from the United Arab Emirates and transporting them to the Republic of Armenia, procuring medical masks from the Islamic Republic of Iran and organizing their transportation to the Republic of Armenia, abusing confidence, stole 102.473.316 AMD  in total from a group of people.
 

On the base of the facts obtained through investigation, the investigator conducting the proceeding submitted a motion to the prosecutor to initiate a public criminal prosecution against H. Khachatryan according to the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 255 (8 counts) which corresponds to the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 178 of RA former Criminal Code and the Point 3 of the Part 2 of the Article 255 of RA Criminal Code which corresponds to the Point 2 of the Part 2 of the Article 178 of RA former Criminal Code.
 

Hayk Khachatryan was arrested to be taken to court for the purpose of detention.
 

Preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding is ongoing. Measures are taken to find out all circumstances of the above mentioned cases of swindling, to give legal assessments to the actions of the persons involved in them as well as to find out the circumstance of having committed other similar crimes by Hayk Khachatryan.
 

Considering that other persons also can have been affected by Hayk Khachatryan’s criminal actions, they are urged to apply to the RA Investigative Committee.
 

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.