Former ranking security official—and former head of security of Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan—Vachagan Ghazaryan, who is remanded in custody, has issued a statement.

As per this statement, Ghazaryan had submitted to the agency conducting the criminal proceedings against him the source of the funds in his and his wife’s bank accounts, as well as of the cash money that was confiscated during the search that was conducted at their home. In particular, Ghazaryan said he had informed that most of these funds belonged to his close and famous businessman and philanthropist friend who lives abroad.

As per Ghazaryan, the sources of these funds are lawful, and the respective evidence was submitted to the agency conducting the proceedings. He argued that this money had been received prior to Armenia’s criminalization of illicit enrichment; that is, before July 1, 2017.

In his statement, Vachagan Ghazaryan added that if the agency conducting the criminal proceeding consents, he and his aforesaid friend stand ready to transfer all these funds—about $6 million—to the Armenian state, and for the implementation of projects toward the enhancement of the security of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR), or for other needs of the state.

The Special Investigation Service had informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that, on June 27, criminal charges were filed against Vachagan Ghazaryan, and for withholding—in his asset declaration submitted to the Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials of Armenia—the information on the true amount of his funds, as well as for getting enriched illicitly.