Epress.am News from Armenia
“The State Revenue Committee is too humble and restrained. What has been revealed? It turns out that during one of the warrented searches, Mishik’s [Mikael Minasyan’s] old computer was found.
The files were deleted, by our IT gigs repaired them, around 9000 files where, it turns out, everything is documented, every every thing. The amounts Mishik paid to people, who exactly, who received what kind of amounts, how he extorted property from people, how he participated in falsifying elections, through whom and which methods, how he bought people.
The most important – there is the list of all assets he owns, offshore accounts and companies. I wonder how one can have so much money and be unable to even delete files. So no wonder, he lives in the kitchen,” wrote Hrachya Hakobyan, MP from “My Step”, MP wife Anna Hakobyan’s brother with a hint to frequent video streams from an unknown kitchen while Minasyan is in hiding.
Earlier on June 8, 2020, the State Revenue Committee, endowed with tax inspection powers, released a statement by which it informed that a preliminary investigation of a large-scale criminal case carried out by the investigative department of the State Revenue Committee on Mikael Minasyan discovered new episodes of criminal offences committed by him.
Aside from earlier indictments, the former Ambassador of Armenia to the Vatican, one of the most influential persons in Serj Sargsyan’s tenure, a media mogul and businessman, received large amounts of financial amounts, which he concealed, and through the offshore company “Waltex Express LP” registered in Scotland and a close person named Rosa Stepanyan, Minasyan was the actual owner of 49 percent of “Spayka” LLC [large cargo transporter and agricultural company], which he concealed from his 2017 and 2018 income declarations in violation of Criminal Code’s Article 314.3, Part 2 (concealing significantly large amounts of declarable information).
In addition to this offense, he is also charged for illegal participation in a business activity (two instances), official fraud (four instances) and money laundering.
Rosa Stepanyan is also charged for aiding Mikayel Minasyan in these offences.
The State Revenue Committee reminded that before this Minasyan was already charged for illegal enrichment and concealment of declarable information, and legalization of property received through illegal channels.
On March 23, 2020, the first instance court issued an arrest warrant for Minasyan for which he was declared wanted. This decision was appealed and satisfied by the Court of Appeals on June 4, 2020 and sent back to the first instance court for reconsideration.
Minasyan, meanwhile, continues his series of “underground kitchen” talks disseminated via social media, where he criticizes Nikol Pashinyan and the government and promises “to serve the Armenian nation.”