YEREVAN. – The first day of the court hearing on Armenia’s “offshore scandal” case is known.
Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the judicial information system that the first hearing is scheduled for June 24.
According to the indictment, entrepreneur Ashot Sukiasyan fraudulently obtained rights over someone else’s property, legalized illicit proceeds, and evaded paying large amounts of taxes, fees, and other mandatory payments.
The aforesaid “offshore scandal” broke out in Armenia after an Armenian media outlet wrote that Armenia’s then-PM Tigran Sargsyan—who is currently Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States—, Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan—Vicar General of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church—, and “jeweler” Ashot Sukiasyan are shareholders in an offshore company called Wlispera Holdings Limited, which is registered in Cyprus. Sargsyan and Kjoyan, however, denied their involvement in such a company.
The Armenian General Investigation Department had laid charges on Sukiasyan, and on the grounds of committing fraud, causing property damage, and legalizing criminally-earned income.