Within the criminal case initiated in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee on apparent abuses committed during implementation of “North-South Road” program charge was pressed against Sedrak Arustamyan having actually managed the activity of “Stones” LLC for committing an act envisaged by the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 190 of RA Criminal Code, as well; that is legitimizing illegally obtained income in particularly large amount (money laundering). On September 18, 2019 charge had been pressed against S. Arustamyan according to the Part 3 of the Article 38-189, the Part 2 of the Article 38-205 of RA Criminal Code.

During preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on apparent abuses committed during implementation of “North-South Road” program charges pressed against Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan were changed and added, as well. Charge was pressed against them also according to the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 38-190 of RA Criminal Code.

We remind that on September 18 charge had been pressed against them according to the Part 3 of the Article 38-189 and the Part 2 of the Article 38-205 of RA Criminal Code.

Charges pressed against Sedrak Arustamyan, Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan have been changed and added as during preliminary investigation it was found out and grounded that Sedrak Arustamyan actually managing the activity of «Stones» LLC, from June 10 to August 8, 2016 being 100% shareholder of «Stones» LLC together with Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan who coordinated the work of the company with him being induced by the representatives of Armenian branch of contractor «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC implementing construction work on Talin-Lanjik and Lanjik-Gyumri sections within the program «Reconstruction and Improvement of Road M1 from Talin to Gyumri» of «North-South Road» program reached agreement on withdrawing funds from the company through tax accounts without providing the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC with services, transferring them to other companies interrelated to them in order to conceal and distort their criminal origin, cashing the money under the pretext of other expenditures or as a dividend and circulating legally  thus supporting the company to evade from taxes in particularly large amount.

In order to realize the criminal agreement on June 8, 2016 Sedrak Arustamyan together with Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan, coordinating the activity of «Stones» LLC with him, organized signing of 2 false contracts on service provision and cooperation on the part of construction work in Talin-Lanjik and Lanjik-Gyumri sections between the director of «Stones» LLC Hayk Avagyan and Director of Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC Wen Siao.

In order to realize a part of commitments within the mentioned contracts, as well as to legitimize the money transferred for services within contracts on allegedly providing service by the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC – to distort its criminal origin Sedrak Arustamyan, Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan, making use of the employees of «Stones» LLC, without intend to conduct entrepreneurial activity on October 10 and November 11, 2016 founded «M S Consulting» and «Gevorgyan Consulting» LLC-s in the latters' names, accordingly, and at the same period «Stones» LLC signed contracts on allegedly providing consulting services with them.

Within the criminal agreement reached by the above mentioned leader representatives of the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC, under the pretext of withdrawing free funds, using them for other purposes, procurement of services within the above mentioned agreement, after signing the agreement until 04.04.2017 1.162.260.574,5 AMD, in total, was transferred to «Stones» LLC through 7 transfers.

Company’s chief accountant, acting by the instruction of company’s leaders, in order to conceal and distort the criminal origin of funds received in the company, transferred 140.000.000 AMD out of the mentioned funds to “M S Consulting” LLC and 124.800.000 AMD – to “Gevorgyan Consulting” LLC as prepayment for services allegedly provided by them.

Directors of «M S Consulting» and «Gevorgyan Consulting» LLC-s, acting by the instruction of leaders of «Stones» LLC, not implementing work within the contracts but actually working in «Stones» LLC and implementing work as company’s employees, from December 20, 2016 to November 3, 2018 together with the chief accountant withdrew 44 false tax accounts of 177.000.000 AMD for services allegedly provided to «Stones» LLC in this way legitimizing their criminal origin and on 17.10.2016, 25.11.2016., 28.11.2016, 23.12.2016 cashing as other expenses of the company that is distorting their criminal origin gave 108 million AMD և 118.8 million AMD, accordingly, in hand to Sedrak Arustamyan.

The company’s chief accountant, acting by the instruction of company’s leaders, in order to distort the origin of the rest of the money transferred in the result of criminal actions committed by the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC – to legitimize and transfer it, acting by their instructions, in «Stones» LLC formulated 603 million of the money as a dividend and on 06.09.2016, 05.10.2016, 23.12.2016, 25.12.2017 cashing it in the bank under the mentioned pretext completely transferred to Sedrak Arustamyan.

By the instruction of representatives of the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC the data of 7 false tax accounts of 1.167.409.328,31 AMD submitted to the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC by «Stones» LLC were received by the director and accountant of the company and in order to evade taxes the data were  involved in non-resident income tax report on company's activity of 2016-2017 and VAT calculations to be submitted to State Revenue Committee adjunct to RA Government, as prescribed by law. As a result, the Armenian branch of «Sinohydro Corporation» LLC evaded from paying taxes in particularly large amount - 240.321.559 AMD causing the state damage in particularly large amount which makes 2.733.171.489 AMD, in total, together with penalties calculated for withdrawing false documents on providing services.    

Motions were submitted to court to choose detention as a pretrial measure against Sedrak Arustamyan having actually managed the activity of «Stones» LLC, Suren Avagyan and Gurgen Sargsyan.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing. Investigatory and procedural actions of great volume are conducted to find out all circumstances of abuses committed during implementation of the Program, the frame of those related to them and to bring them to liability.

As of today, there are 15 defendants within the criminal case.

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