Special Investigation Service: Ex-head of Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service summoned for questioning

 Mihran Poghosyan, the former head of the Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service (JACES) has been summoned for questions over the case of the offshore scandal, which is reported to include his name. Mikayel Aharonyan, the head of the press office of the Special Investigation Service, says that on June 9 Mihran Poghosyan was summoned for interrogation. He notes that other details are not publicized at the stage of the pretrial investigation. 

To recall, the relevant criminal case was instituted under Article 310 of the Armenian Criminal Code against Mihran Poghosyan as early as on May 2 (Participation of a state official, despite the legal ban, in the founding, management of an entrepreneurial organization, personally or through proxy, when these actions involve granting this organization privileges and advantages, is punished with deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or practice certain activities for up to 5 years, and a fine in the amount of 200 to 400 minimal salaries, or with arrest for the term of 1-3 months, or with imprisonment for the term of up to 2 years). However, Poghosyan has been summoned for interrogation only once.  

Following the offshore scandal, Mihran Poghosyan, who also imports tropical fruits to Armenia, resigned.  Nevertheless, he refutes his complicity in the offshore scandal. He has presented documents that allegedly demonstrate the lack of any offshore accounts.      

To note, on April 3, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published the findings of a survey that investigated the global offshore network and featured nearly 11.5 million documents. The documents reveal the scales of "shadow economy" involving the leading world politicians and businessmen. According to these documents, Mihran Poghosyan is the shareholder of three companies registered in Panama:  Sigtem Real Estates Incorporated, Hopkinten Trading Incorporated, BANGIO INVEST S.A. So, Poghosyan conducts business through the companies registered in Panama and conceals the income.