YEREVAN. – Vazgen Khachikyan, the former Chief of the State Social Security Service of Armenia, who was charged with fraud and embezzlement of large public funds, has been found guilty on Monday by the court and sentenced to twelve years in prison.

The prosecution had petitioned for a thirteen-year prison term for Khachikyan.

According to the indictment, Vazgen Khachikyan, together with several other Service officials and persons in charge, had appropriated, from 2006 to 2010, suspended pensions totaling 267,266,000 drams (approx. $593,745).