The Armenian Investigative Committee has brought serious charges against Gagik Tsarukyan, the chairman of the "Prosperous Armenia" party. According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the investigation alleges that Tsarukyan is involved in the extortion of $2.5 million and money laundering.
Investigators claim that in 2008, Tsarukyan entered into a partnership with a Lebanese businessman, only to later coerce him into surrendering his business shares through threats of violence. By August 2010, it is alleged that Tsarukyan and his associates, including Sedrak Arustamyan, successfully seized the businessman's assets. Law enforcement authorities have classified these transactions as large-scale money laundering. Furthermore, on July 6, searches were conducted at Tsarukyan’s residence and over 70 properties linked to him, resulting in a two-month pre-trial detention order. Additional charges against the politician include fraud, embezzlement of $934,000, and causing over $81,000 in damages to the state through illegal hunting activities.
The Prosecutor's Office is currently seeking the confiscation of numerous assets linked to Tsarukyan and his associates. The list of properties subject to potential seizure includes the "Ararat" cognac-wine-vodka factory, the "Araratcement" plant, the "Multi Wellness" sports complex, 75 real estate properties, 42 vehicles, and shares in 38 different companies. These legal developments mark a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of the politician's business and political activities within Armenia.
