Armenian law enforcement agencies reported damages of 2.68 billion drams; directors of companies linked to Kocharyan detained
25.08.2026,
16:42
The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia has opened a public criminal investigation against the current and former directors of several companies it associates with Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan, on charges of large-scale tax evasion.
YEREVAN, August 25. /ARKA/. The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia has opened a public criminal investigation against the current and former directors of several companies it associates with Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan, on charges of large-scale tax evasion.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, criminal proceedings have been initiated against the current director of Gritti LLC, the former director of this company, the director of Fast Kart LLC, which operates under the PLAY CITY trademark, and the director of Kinetik CJSC.
According to the Investigative Committee of Armenia, the damage caused to the state by the activities of these business entities amounts to approximately 2 billion 682 million drams.
All four have been detained. The Investigative Committee intends to petition the court to order their pretrial detention.
On August 25, as part of the criminal proceedings under investigation, Investigative Committee officers conducted simultaneous searches at 17 addresses of the defendants' businesses and residences. Documents and items relevant to the investigation were found and seized. The addresses of the business entities were sealed for investigative and procedural actions.
Investigators submitted motions to the supervising prosecutor to initiate criminal prosecution against four defendants under paragraph 2, part 3, Article 290 of the Armenian Criminal Code, which were granted.
Gritti: over 1.9 billion drams
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the current director of Gritti LLC, which is engaged in the retail sale of clothing in stores located at 3 Severny Avenue (Stefano Ricci) and ul. Tumanyan, 12 (Corneliani), has headed the company since March 7, 2018.
The investigation believes that from November 2021 to July 2026, he included distorted data in tax calculations submitted to tax authorities in order to avoid paying taxes on a particularly large scale. As a result, according to investigators, taxes totaling 1 billion 577 million 83 thousand drams were not calculated and paid to the state budget.
Criminal prosecution has also been initiated against the former director of Gritti, who held this position from May 2007 to March 2018. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, as a result of the distorted data included in tax calculations, taxes totaling 328 million 664 thousand drams were not calculated and paid.
PLAY CITY: 141 million drams
In another criminal case, criminal prosecution has been initiated against the director of Fast Kart LLC, operating under the PLAY CITY trademark at 35 Acharyan Street in Yerevan.
According to investigators, taxes in an especially large amount—141 million 54 thousand drams—were unpaid from July 1, 2025, to June 23, 2026.
Orange Fitness: 520 million drams
Another criminal prosecution has been initiated against the director of Kinetik CJSC, which provides sports services and operates as Orange Fitness at 7/1 Tsitsernakaberd Highway.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the amount of unpaid taxes in this case amounts to 520 million 215 thousand drams.
The Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee remind that a person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, criminal proceedings have been initiated against the current director of Gritti LLC, the former director of this company, the director of Fast Kart LLC, which operates under the PLAY CITY trademark, and the director of Kinetik CJSC.
According to the Investigative Committee of Armenia, the damage caused to the state by the activities of these business entities amounts to approximately 2 billion 682 million drams.
All four have been detained. The Investigative Committee intends to petition the court to order their pretrial detention.
On August 25, as part of the criminal proceedings under investigation, Investigative Committee officers conducted simultaneous searches at 17 addresses of the defendants' businesses and residences. Documents and items relevant to the investigation were found and seized. The addresses of the business entities were sealed for investigative and procedural actions.
Investigators submitted motions to the supervising prosecutor to initiate criminal prosecution against four defendants under paragraph 2, part 3, Article 290 of the Armenian Criminal Code, which were granted.
Gritti: over 1.9 billion drams
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the current director of Gritti LLC, which is engaged in the retail sale of clothing in stores located at 3 Severny Avenue (Stefano Ricci) and ul. Tumanyan, 12 (Corneliani), has headed the company since March 7, 2018.
The investigation believes that from November 2021 to July 2026, he included distorted data in tax calculations submitted to tax authorities in order to avoid paying taxes on a particularly large scale. As a result, according to investigators, taxes totaling 1 billion 577 million 83 thousand drams were not calculated and paid to the state budget.
Criminal prosecution has also been initiated against the former director of Gritti, who held this position from May 2007 to March 2018. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, as a result of the distorted data included in tax calculations, taxes totaling 328 million 664 thousand drams were not calculated and paid.
PLAY CITY: 141 million drams
In another criminal case, criminal prosecution has been initiated against the director of Fast Kart LLC, operating under the PLAY CITY trademark at 35 Acharyan Street in Yerevan.
According to investigators, taxes in an especially large amount—141 million 54 thousand drams—were unpaid from July 1, 2025, to June 23, 2026.
Orange Fitness: 520 million drams
Another criminal prosecution has been initiated against the director of Kinetik CJSC, which provides sports services and operates as Orange Fitness at 7/1 Tsitsernakaberd Highway.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the amount of unpaid taxes in this case amounts to 520 million 215 thousand drams.
The Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee remind that a person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.
