“The fact that the leader of the criminal group arrested in the United States Armen Ghazaryan, nicknamed Pzo, was in close relations with various Armenian officials is not a secret to anyone. However, we have obtained new facts about his ties,” writes the Zhamanak newspaper.

According to the newspaper, in 2008, Pzo presented a Mercedes car to Armen Yeritsyan, the then vice-chief of Armenian Police and now Minister of Emergency Situations.

Before being arrested, Pzo arranged a visit to Las Vegas for Yeritsyan’s wife. “We should not forget about close ties between Pzo and Chairman of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan. It was Tsarukyan who ensured Pzo’s safe entry to Armenia through the mediation of the former chief of Armenian Police Hayk Harutyunyan. The Pzo-Tsarukyan relations cooled down after Pzo started joint business with Serzh Sargsyan’s brother, Sashik Sargsyan,” the newspaper writes.