In the result of investigative and other procedural actions conducted within the criminal case investigated in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee a number of significant circumstances of swindling by cheating through fake pages opened in the name of public people, illegal collecting, keeping of information pertaining to personal life, causing to commit suicide were found out, the person having committed the alleged crime was identified.

In the result of taken measures it was found out that the person who had committed swindling of somebody else’s property in particularly large amount from several internet users by cheating and gaining confidence was a resident of Ararat region.

Through investigation data were obtained on the allegation that from June, 2020 to October, 2021 he registered fake pages in social sites “Facebook.com” and “Instagram” in the name of public people – “Vardan Srmakesh”, “Alen Simonyan”, “Hayk Sargsyan”, “Artak of Sas”, “Samvel Karapetyan”, “Sargis Karapetyan”.

It was found out that he introduced himself to three of those affected as the son of a public person, businessman carried out various charitable programs in Armenia, “Sargis Karapetyan”.

By using the businessman’s reputation in that way, after making impression as a reliable person, he started correspondence with the mentioned fake page with female facebook users. He told them that he was carrying out charity programs of supporting several vulnerable groups in Armenia.

Making positive impression at the beginning of internet correspondence and creating false confidence with the users he told them that there were technical problems in relation with using non-cash resources he allegedly had to spend on charity programs allegedly implemented by him and as the expenses were not so much and he would feel awkward if he asked his relatives for money, he asked to transfer money to the accounts of his «Idram» electronic valet “promising” to return. Due to the “positive” impression received in the result of the correspondence, as well as being sure that they were in touch with the businessman’s son, the users periodically transferred money in several amounts to the accounts mentioned by him.

Then in order to provide the illusion of carrying out charity in the same period he returned a part of the amount he had received thus strengthening the confidence towards him but in the end he swindled money in large amount - 1.702.000 AMD, pursuant to initial data.

During preliminary investigation data were obtained on other crimes committed by the same man.

Particularly, it was found out that in the result of the confidence established during the correspondence through his fake page the latter told one of the female users about his feelings towards her. Continuing the correspondence with the woman as a businessman’s son he asked the woman to send him her half-naked video. The latter appearing in the man’s trap and being in delusion sent him her half-naked video. When the man told the woman about his real self and the further contact failed, he threatened her to publicize the video at his disposal on the internet making it available for her daughter’s classmates and her parents.

The woman, being in a desperate situation, for the purpose of ending her life, used a large number of psychotropic pills in excess of the therapeutic dose. Fortunately, due to the medical assistance provided on time it was possible to save her life.

 In the result of joint measures taken by the investigative body and the police officers 38 year-old man was found and arrested.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against him according to the Part 1 of the Article 110, the Article 144 and the Point 2 of the Part 2 of the Article 178 of RA Criminal Code. A motion was submitted to court to use detention as a pretrial measure against him. It was sufficed.

 Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Measures are taken to find out all circumstances of the case, the whole frame of those affected, to provide the objective, comprehensive investigation.

The Investigative Committee informs; all those citizens, who have been affected by the actions of the fake user registered in the name of the above-mentioned people, can apply to the investigative body.

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