Omid store chain head arrested over alleged $88,000 extortion

Omid store chain head Rahman Mammadov and sales manager Tarlan Gasimzade have been arrested.

Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing Qafqazinfo, that they are accused of beating an employee and demanding money through threats.

Rahman Mammadov and Tarlan Gasimzade accused the manager of the Omid Ganja-3 store in Ganja of misappropriating proceeds from sales.

They allegedly beat the store manager over the matter and threatened him in various ways, demanding 88,000 manats as compensation for damage to the company.

After the victim filed a complaint with police, company head Rahman Mammadov and employee Tarlan Gasimzade were detained.

They have been charged under Article 182.2.3 of the Criminal Code (extortion by threat involving the use of force). A court ordered both to be held in pretrial detention for four months yesterday evening.

Omid is one of Azerbaijan’s largest retail chains selling repair, construction and household goods wholesale and at retail. The company has nearly 100 branches in Baku, Ganja, Sumgait and other districts.