Within the criminal case investigated in Gegharkunik Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee circumstances of allegedly exceeding official authorities, swindling and forgery of documents committed by the former head of Vardenis community were found out.

In the result of investigative and other procedural actions conducted during preliminary investigation data were obtained on the allegation that the former head of Vardenis community, holding the position of the head of Vardenis regional agency for social assistance of the staff of Gegharkunik municipality from March 2004 to November 2017, committed a number of abuses.

Particularly, it was found out that the official, with the aim of swindling money from the state budget by using obviously false data, organized and realized the plan of swindling money in particularly large amount from the amount of financial aid given as a benefit by the state to the socially vulnerable families, worked out a joint plan involving two employees of the agency, as well.

In order to realize his criminal intention, in 2013 he presented his plan to swindle money in particularly large amount by entering and confirming biometric data of about 250 citizens in the computer base of Vardenis Regional Agency for Social Assistance as beneficiaries, withdrawing money in particularly large amount by sending the data to the relevant service, as well as with the help of the relevant employees of “Haypost” CJSC.

Reaching prior agreement with the latters he organized and controlled the criminal actions of the mentioned employees under his subordination.

From November 2013 to November 2017 the employees entered obviously false information about socially vulnerable people in the computer base presenting a number of citizens as beneficiaries who were not actually socially vulnerable, then by using the false data registered them in the beneficiaries’ lists of the system “Family benefit” which were confirmed by the head of Vardenis Regional Agency and family benefit amount was formulated in their names and each month was delivered to the post offices of the mentioned area. As a result, the money in particularly large amount - 231 942 500 AMD delivered to the post offices of “Haypost” CJSC was swindled after taking it with the help of the employees of the post office. In order to ground the false circumstance that the money had been given to beneficiaries and to conceal their criminal actions, the employees signed in the beneficiaries’ lists instead of them and put them in circulation.

Besides, the former head of the community from November 13, 2017 to December 2018, being the head of Vardenis community, being informed about the intention of two citizens of Vardenis to illegally occupy the park area planned for common use and to build cafes without permission, gave an oral agreement for the mentioned violations and willfully did not take any measure to prevent the unauthorized construction, to eliminate the consequences and to use measures of administrative liability against the citizens. As a result, Vardenis community was deprived of the opportunity to use the park area as intended which caused significant damage to the community.

During preliminary investigation the former head of Vardenis community and the above-mentioned two employees of Vardenis Regional Agency for Social Assistance of the staff of Gegharkunik municipality confessed that they had swindled about 231 942 500 AMD.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against the former head of Vardenis community according to the Part 1 of the Article 308 (2 counts), the Part 2 of the Article 325, the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 178 of RA Criminal Code. The latter was arrested and a motion was submitted to court to choose detention as a pretrial measure against him.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

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