The Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia on Monday denied the defense lawyer’s appeal against the decision to arrest Aghvan Hovsepyan, former Prosecutor General and former Chairman of the Investigative Committee.

According to the Special Investigation Service, Hovsepyan, 68, who held the post of Prosecutor General, then Chairman of the Investigative Committee, from 2004 to 2018, had legalized—i.e., money laundering—1,299,404,414 drams (approx. $2,632,240), participated in the management of a number of business companies, taken 190 million drams (approx. $384,900) in bribes, and fraudulently stolen 800 million drams (approx. $1,620,600) worth of property.

Aghvan Hovsepyan has been charged under several articles of the Criminal Code, and is remanded in custody since September 9.