YEREVAN. - The indictment on the “offshore scandal” case has been confirmed, and it has been sent to court. 

Yurik Khacahtryan, attorney of the defendant, Armenian entrepreneur Ashot Sukiasyan, told the aforesaid to Armenian News–NEWS.am.

Khacahtryan added, however, that the first court hearing date has not yet been set.

According to the indictment, Sukiasyan fraudulently obtained rights over someone else’s property, legalized illicit proceeds, and evaded paying large amounts of taxes, fees, and other mandatory payments. 

The aforesaid “offshore scandal” broke out in Armenia after an Armenian media outlet wrote that Armenia’s then-PM Tigran Sargsyan—who is currently Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States—, Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan—Vicar General of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church—, and “jeweler” Ashot Sukiasyan are shareholders in an offshore company called Wlispera Holdings Limited, which is registered in Cyprus. Sargsyan and Kjoyan, however, denied their involvement in such a company.

The Armenian General Investigation Department had laid charges on Sukiasyan, and on the grounds of committing fraud, causing property damage, and legalizing criminally-earned income.