YEREVAN. – Armenia’s ex-minister of natural resources Aram Harutyunyan faces bribery and money laundering charges, Investigation Committee said in a statement.

According to the Committee, when in office, Harutyunyan took a bribe amounting to $14 million from businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan in exchange for providing her with licenses for mine exploration.

The former official received $6 million in cash and another $8 million via accounts opened in the UAE. Harutyunyan transferred the amount to a Swiss bank and began to transfer parts of the amount to an Armenia-based company, which belongs to a person close to him.

Search has been declared for the former minister.