Latest News

$241mln lawsuit filed against former MP Ashot Egiazaryan

2012-06-22T13:45:56Z

MOSCOW, June 22 – RAPSI. Businessman Dmitry Garkusha has filed a $241.1 million lawsuit as part of the criminal case against former MP Ashot Egiazaryan, his attorney Ruben Markaryan told the Russian Legal Information Agency on Friday.

“The amount was calculated based on the value of Blindesol (Cyprus) and Hackham (British Virgin Islands) shares, fraudulently appropriated by Ashot Egiazaryan and his accomplices Artyom Egiazaryan and Vitaly Gogokhiya. These companies have financial claims against the Moskva hotel,” the attorney said.

According to his attorney, Garkusha is seeking the return of the shares and also compensation for his losses.

Ashot Egiazaryan’s involvement in fraudulent activity was uncovered in March 2012 and criminal proceedings started against him shortly after. Vitaly Gogokhiya is also a suspect in the case. The suspects are charged with fraudulently acquiring Invest-Center shares worth 5.962 billion rubles ($179.67 million) by fraud.

In addition, Russian investigators believe Egiazaryan and three accomplices used fraudulent means to acquire 20 percent of Tsenturion Alliance shares worth 1.57 billion rubles ($46.86 million).

Additionally, Egiazaryan offered businessman Mikhail Ananyev to take part in the construction of a trade complex on Moscow’s Rublyovskoye Highway and the reconstruction of the Moskva hotel in 2002 and 2003. The Investigative Committee believes that Egiazaryan promised Ananyev to transfer him a partnership interest in these organizations.

Egiazaryan did not fulfill the agreement and used the 500 million rubles ($14.92 million rubles) that he received from Ananyev at his own disposal.
Egiazaryan has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity. He is under investigation on charges of fraud and faces 10 years in prison. He has been on the federal wanted list since November 2010 and on the international wanted list since December. The Russian parliament's lower house consented to his arrest in March 2011.

Authorities Search Respublika Bank in Connection with Yegiazaryan Case

2012-06-05T06:31:00Z

Lenta.ru -- Authorities searched the Respublican bank, located in downtown Moscow, as part of the criminal investigation of Ashot Yegiazaryan, the ex-member of the Russian State Duma. Bank statements and money transfer information was seized, the ingestigators said.

According to the victims’ lawyer Ruben Markarian, the former head of the State real estate department Mikhail Ananiev used to own the bank via Invest-Center holding company. Authorities suspect that Yegiazaryan fraudulently received control over the company and sold the bank and stole USD 20mln.

Investigation showed that Ananiev was tricked into giving 80,000 shares of the company to Yegiazaryan’s representatives, his wife Natalia Tsagolova and his head of security Vladimir Zaitsev.

A criminal case over this fraud was opened in March 2012. Ashot Yegiazaryan and his business partner Vitaly Gogokhiya are suspects. Earlier, both men were also accused of stealing shares worth half a billion rubles from businessman Vitali Smagina. These criminal investigations have been combined into one case. Yegiazaryan, his brother Artyom and Vitaly Gogokhiya are arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list.

Vesti.ru
Itar-TASS
RIA Novosti

Yegiazaryan Is One of Four Duma Members Stripped Of Diplomatic Immunity

2012-05-25T08:03:00Z

.... In the history of Russian parliament since 1991 there were only four instances of removal of diplomatic immunity. The last instance took place in 2010 and it involved Ashot Yegiazaryan of LDPR party -- he has been accused in grand larceny and fraud related to the development of Moscow hotel. In 2001, Vladimir Golovlev of SPS party has been stripped of immunity. However, at that time the Duma has reached an ambiguous decision -- they approved criminal prosecution but banned the arrest.

[From "Alexey Mitrofanov, Duma Deputy, is suspected in grand larceny"]

Lawyer: Handwriting Analysis Proves Yegiazaryan’s Involvement in the Criminal Case

2012-04-01T06:49:00Z

Interfax: Handwriting analysis confirmed that former MP Yegiazaryan’s signature on asset exchange contracts, linking him to the fraud, is genuine, according to the victims’ lawyer.

The victims and their lawyer have received the experts’ reports on Yegiazaryan’s handwriting. His signature on the so called “Base agreement of purchase of assets by Daev Plaza holding company and Tashir Holding Company dated January 14, 2010” where Yegiazaryan is the party representing Daev Plaza, according to the victims’ lawyer Ruben Markarian. He also said that Skendleby company is mentioned in the agreement as the buyer of Evropark shopping center. “This proves that Yegiazaryan is connected to Skendleby and, consequently, to gaining control over Evropark -- exactly what the investigators aim to prove’, Markarian says.

New Criminal Investigation Initiated Against Ex-Duma Deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan

2012-03-10T12:45:00Z

It has been disclosed on Monday, that Russian Investigations Committee has initiated another criminal case against former Duma deputy and member of the LDPR party Ashot Yegiazaryan. The investigators alleged that Mr. Yegiazaryan along with his accomplice Vitaliy Gogokhia had committed grand larceny worth almost 6 billion rubles ($200 million), according to the victims’ lawyer Ruben Markarian.

According to the lawyer, Yegiazaryan and Gogokhia

tricked Michael Ananiev, the owner of a controlling stake of OJSC "Investor Center”, to issue 80 thousand shares to Yegiazaryan’s ex-wife Natalia Tsagolova and his informal security advisor, Vladimir Zaitsev. In exchange for shares, Yegiazaryan allegedly promised to give Ananiev an asset of equal value, 50%-stake in "Stone Bridge" and JSC "Kremlin web site" as well as the "Daev plaza" business center. JSC "Investor Center" owned such assets as "Europark" shopping mall and bank "Respublicansky."

“I am not sure if Yegiazaryan is notified of the new charges. According to my information, he is in exile in the US and most likely learns about new developments from the newspapers. Our main task is to ensure there is a court decision in absentia (for that, Yegiazaryan’s presence is not essential) and to try to reparate demages,” says the lawyer. He added that Yegiazaryan has some assets in Russia that had been frozen by the court.

The investigations committee confirmed the information. “Given investigation has been merged with another case against Yegiazaryan and his accomplices, where he is accused of larceny and theft,” says Vladimir Markin, representative of the committee.

Source: Gazeta.ru

New Criminal Proceedings Against Ex-Duma Deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan

2012-03-06T08:23:00Z

[RuKavkaz] Russian Investigative Committee initiated new criminal case against Ashot Yegiazaryan, ex-member of the Russian Duma. Yegiazaryan is accused in 6bln ruble-fraud scheme, according to the lawyer who represents the victims. “The criminal case is opened against ex-Duma member Yegiazaryan and his accomplice Vitaly Gogokhia according to the part 4 clause 159 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code,” said the lawyer, Ruben Markaryan.

Former Deputy Yegiazaryan’s Brother Has Been Charged with Fraud, in Absentia

2012-03-02T12:56:00Z

Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation indicted Artem Yegiazaryan, brother of ex-Duma Deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan, in large-scale fraud. Another accomplice, Vitaly Gogokhia, has also been charged.

“It says in the criminal charges that Artem Yegiazaryan together with Gogokhia and other people has fraudulently obtained assets that belonged to Dmitry Garkusha -- shares of firms Hekhem and Hamfest and bonds of Dekorum worth 3 billion rubles. Those assets were disposed at their discretion, and caused substantial demages to the victims,” says the victims’ lawyer Ruben Markarian.

Source: Interfax

Authorties Conduct New Raids Retaled to Investigation of Former Duna Deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan

2012-02-01T21:58:00Z

Investigators who investigate the case against the former Duma deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan conducted a search of the Daev Plaza office building in Moscow, according to the plaintiff’s lawyer Ruben Markarian.

According to the lawyer, authorities had discovered new episodees of criminal activity by the former deputy’s associates. At press time, Interfax news agency were not able to re-confirm the lawyer statement. The authorities filed grand larceny charges against Yagiazaryan, who currently resides in the US.

In November 2010, the State Duma had stripped Yegiazayran off his political immunity. At the same time, some of Yegiazaryan’s property, including Evropark shopping center, were frozen. On May 3, 2011, the investigative commietty had filed a criminal charge against Ashot Yegiazaryan and his associates -- Vitaly Gogophia and Maksim Kolchin.

Source: Interfax

London Bankers Interrogated in Moscow in Connection with Yegiazaryan’s Case

2012-01-25T08:35:00Z

Russian Investigations Committee Interrogated UK bankers from Deutsche Bank. The investigators subpoenaed bank representatives in Domodedovo airport, where businessmen arrived. The lawyer, representing the victims in the Yegiazaryan case, said that Yegiazaryan, who is accused in fraud, is residing in the US. More on Vzglyad.ru

New Searches by Investigation Committee in Moscow in Connection to Yegiazaryan's Case

2011-12-22T08:40:00Z

In Moscow, the Investigations Committee conducted new searches in connection to the case of a State Duma deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan suspected of fraud with shares of more than half a billion rubles.

According to the victim's lawyer Ruben Markaryan, investigators are looking for evidence in the business center "Daev Plaza." According to him, the police revealed new episodes of unlawful activity by the ex-deputy. More on Svoboda News.