Businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan has called on Armenia’s newly appointed Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan to immediately look into the offshore fraud case, no matter who might be implicated.

Hayrapetyan’s assets are being sold off by AmeriaBank after being put up as collateral for loans totaling $10.7 million by one Ashot Sukisayan. Also implicated in the case are RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Locum Tenens of the Ararat Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan.

“We’re not talking about $10 or $100 here. They pocketed $11 million. It’s disappeared. Answers have to be given as to who the money was given to and how. They have to call in the prime minister for questioning. Let them subpoena the prime minister and Kjoyan,” declared Paylak Hayrapetyan, noting that he is ready to meet with them face to face.

“When I used to go to Ashot Sukiasyan’s house, the prime minister and Kjoyan were there. The church choir was there with Kjoyan. So were the theater and the cinema. Kjoyan never used to go to the monastery. He was there with from morning till night, like he was an employee of Sukiasyan. Kjoyan’s photo was affixed to the wall, like a cross. Call them in and question them,” Hayrapetyan said.

Last month, an Armenian investigative team was sent to Cyprus. Hayrapetyan says that according to the head examiner, that the team has compiled its findings.

“But the head examiner says the findings aren’t yet ready and must be translated. I don’t understand this delay,” adds Hayrapetyan.

One month ago, Hayrapetyan told Hetq that when he asked Sukiasyan what he did with the money the latter started to list - “...I gave the bank 5% of the loan as a kickback.”  According to Hayrapetyan, just two days ago the examiner told him that he would be called for questioning by the police about this point in the next few days.

“The jails are full of thieves who have lifted 10,000 Drams from this or that pocket. Here, we are talking about a $600,000 kickback. And they aren’t doing anything. All the fraud and deceit started with the business plan drafted by AmeriaBank,” says Hayrapetyan, voicing hope that the General Prosecutor will take neasures to also question top managers of the bank – Gagik Sahakyan (Corporate Banking Director), Artak Hanesyan (Chairman of the Management Board) and Andrei Mkrtchyan (Chief Executive Officer of Ameria Group of Companies).

“How long will they continue like this? There’s no one left in the country. It’s gotten to a point where even the relatively wealthy are disillusioned and are leaving. In the end, only the swindlers will be left. Justice is needed to solve the emigration problem," Hayrapetyan said. 

(Photo, from left: Ashot Sukiasyan, PM Sargsyan, Archbishop Kjoyan)