Investigative Committee of Armenia reports on revelation of pyramid  scheme

ArmInfo. The Investigative Committee of Armenia reports on the revelation of a pyramid scheme founded in 2013 in the Islamic Republic of Iran and registered under  the name of Vodanet British LTD in the United Kingdom. The pyramid  has operated on the territory of the Republic of Armenia since 2016  through a criminal conspiracy of a number of citizens of Iran, the UK  and the RA.

According to the press service of the investigative body, according  to the factual data obtained in the framework of the criminal case,  the members of the criminal group, acting under the name of VODA,  created a system prohibited by law with the involvement of new  members and assets. As a result, under the pretext of providing an  opportunity to obtain benefits through participation in business  trainings organized by an "international reputable company", many  citizens were recruited. They were encouraged to register on the  online platforms voda.net and vodanet.io and pay, allegedly,  membership fees in the amount of from 450 to 21 thousand US dollars,  which were presented as guaranteed investments in exchange for  permission to operate within the company.

Vodanet British LTD was suspended in June 2018 as a result of  criminal prosecutions by law enforcement agencies of the Islamic  Republic of Iran. The websites voda.net and vodanet.io have also been  suspended.  Subsequently, several members of the group reorganized  and registered a company in Canada under the name of Onyxum,  launching the eponymous website onyxum.com and regrouping the main  coordinators of the criminal group operating under the name of  Vodanet British LTD, continued their criminal activities in Armenia,  according to the already developed scheme with an improved  methodology. To achieve this goal, offices of the same name were  established in Yerevan and in the regions of the Republic of Armenia,  where, under the pretext of step-by-step training, many citizens were  recruited, who, allegedly, were given the opportunity to make  profitable purchases and sales of tour packages.

According to the IC, 11 VODA and Onyxum coordinators have been  charged on the basis of sufficient evidence. The preliminary  investigation of the criminal case continues, the necessary measures  are being taken to find out the full circle of persons involved in  the mechanism of the crime, and to bring them to criminal  responsibility.

The RA Investigative Committee calls on citizens to refrain from  using the services provided by the Onyxum.com website, the offices of  the company of the same name and other companies providing similar  services, since it is highly likely that as a result a person may  become a victim of a crime.