Fraudsters using forged banknotes exposed in Armenia 

ArmInfo.  The Investigative Committee (IC) of Armenia has completed the preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on the grounds of fraud and distribution of counterfeit money.

According to the IC, during the preliminary investigation of the  criminal case, compelling evidence was obtained that N.P., having a  direct intent to commit theft, developed criminal schemes to commit  fraud both alone and jointly with V.K., who was part of the group,  and other persons not yet identified by the investigation in the  period from May 2021 to May 2025.

In particular, members of the criminal group made orders at  attractive prices to taxi and truck drivers, asked them to buy  certain goods and transport them with them to a specified location,  but did not transfer the money. They then asked to transfer various  amounts of money to bank accounts of other drivers, who allegedly  belonged to them, but in fact provided taxi services, thus  appropriating the money transferred by citizens. In addition, members  of the criminal group called various citizens and introduced  themselves as meat suppliers, and then, providing false information,  stole the slaughtered cattle belonging to the latter.

In another case, members of a criminal group, having read citizens'  advertisements on the website about selling mobile phones,  called them, made an agreement and instead of money gave them  banknotes that were considered souvenirs and were not a means of  payment, as a result of which they fraudulently stole the mobile  phones.

The amount of money stolen from the victims by members of the  criminal group ranged from 20,000 to 1 million 200 thousand drams.

During the preliminary investigation, a public criminal prosecution  was initiated against V.G. under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 255 of the  Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (fraud) (5 episodes), and  against N.P.  under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 255 (fraud) (100  counts), paragraph 2 of Part 3 of Article 457 (forgery of documents,  stamps, seals, forms or sale, production or use of forged documents,  stamps, seals, forms) (1 count) and Part 1 of Article 267  (production, storage, transportation, delivery, acquisition or sale  of counterfeit banknotes, foreign currency, securities, other payment  and settlement documents or payment instruments for the purpose of  sale) (1 count):

A preventive measure in the form of house arrest and written  undertaking not to leave was chosen for V.K., and arrest was chosen  for N.P.

The criminal case was sent to the supervising prosecutor with an  indictment.