During the preliminary investigation of a criminal case initiated by the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia, it was established that two officials of the State Non-Profit Organization (SNPO) “Service for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Reserves – Museums and Historical Environment” of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, through prior conspiracy and deliberate distortion of facts, committed theft and forgery of 4,501,550 drams on an especially large scale.
Specifically, throughout 2022, based on requests for the purchase of various goods and services for the needs of the SNPO, the SNPO periodically transferred amounts in excess of the planned amounts to a number of private enterprises and LLCs, which then cashed them and transferred them to the aforementioned officials.
The preliminary investigation also revealed that in a number of cases, some goods were not delivered at all, and services specified in the procurement requests were not rendered. However, the officials in question knowingly entered false information into the performance acceptance reports regarding the provision of the service or delivery of the goods.
For the aforementioned criminal acts, one of the two officials was charged under Article 255, Part 2, Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, and the other was charged under Article 255, Part 2, Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, and Article 445, Part 1. The latter were subject to a combined preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the country and suspension from office.
Damages incurred by the state in the amount of 4,501,550 drams were fully compensated during the preliminary investigation.
The preliminary investigation into the criminal case has been completed. The criminal case materials, along with the indictment, have been sent to the Anti-Corruption Court of the Republic of Armenia.