Lawyer: Gagik Tsarukyan summoned for questioning in connection with  fraud and money laundering case

ArmInfo.  Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), has been summoned for  questioning by the Investigative Committee in connection with the  fraud and money laundering charges brought against him. This was  announced by one of Tsarukyan's lawyers, Yerem Sargsyan, speaking to  journalists outside the Investigative Department of the State Revenue  Committee on July 21.

He also clarified that the investigative body summoned them for  questioning, noting that further clarification is needed, but the  exact reason for the summons will be clear after the investigation is  completed. "It's still unknown for what reason Tsarukyan was brought  in for questioning. The questioning will most likely be conducted  within the context of the charges brought against him - fraud and  money laundering. As for the tax evasion charge, it was dismissed by  the prosecutor, who deemed it unlawful," the lawyer said.

Commenting on the publication of documents days earlier that the  defense claims refute the charges against the party leader, the  lawyer noted that they had previously presented numerous pieces of  evidence proving Tsarukyan's innocence. "However, it's not yet clear  whether these materials were taken into account in the investigation.  If they want to conduct an objective investigation, then all the  documents we presented must be examined and used as evidence.  However, it's unlikely they will actively pursue this," Sargsyan  said.  He added that the judge was also presented with arguments that  Tsarukyan's prosecution has political overtones. Moreover, according  to him, the defense directly addressed the judge, asking whether he  was capable of providing an objective assessment of the case under  political pressure. "We see that the judicial system is under  pressure. In response to our question, the judge invited us to  present our reasons, stating that he would make a decision after  reviewing them. However, we subsequently saw that this did not  happen. The court's decision did not contain a single reference to  the facts we spent hours presenting during the hearing. They could  have at least attempted to refute them, although this would have been  extremely difficult, since we had sufficiently compelling evidence,"  Sargsyan noted.

In turn, another lawyer, Emin Khachatryan, regarding the appeal filed  in connection with the arrest of the party leader, noted that there  is currently no news on the matter. "The appeal has been filed, and  within a day or two we will find out who will hear the case, whether  it will be oral or written, and if written, when the corresponding  decision will be published," the lawyer concluded. As a reminder, on  July 6, Prosperous Armenia Party leader and businessman Gagik  Tsarukyan was detained and taken to the Investigative Committee of  Armenia. He is accused of organizing fraud and money laundering on an  especially large scale. According to investigators, between 2022 and  2024, a group operating under his leadership, under the pretext of  developing trade and economic ties between Armenia and Iran, created  joint legal entities with Iranian citizens, after which they carried  out a fraudulent scheme, causing damages totaling over $21 million.  Furthermore, Gagik Tsarukyan faces another charge of illegal hunting.  On July 7, the court granted the prosecution's motion to remand  Tsarukyan in custody for two months.