Armenia’s National Security Service closes criminal case against former FM
24.07.2013,
13:36
The criminal case against the former foreign minister of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia deputy Vartan Oskanian is closed, the press office of the National Security Service reported Wednesday.
YEREVAN, July 24./ARKA/. The criminal case against the former foreign minister of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia deputy Vartan Oskanian is closed, the press office of the National Security Service reported Wednesday.
According to the source, Oskanian, in his statement addressed to the structure, confessed he had used 250,790 U.S. dollars for personal purposes. This amount was donated by American philanthropist John Huntsman to Civilitas Foundation (Oskanian is a founder of the foundation). Oskanian said he had thought of this amount as his share of the deal.
The former foreign minister agreed to pay 20,14 million drams (over 49,000 dollars) in taxes from the owned 250,790 dollars. He transferred to the State this amount on 23 July.
Besides, after the criminal case was opened, Oskanian transferred 1,086 million dollars to Civilitas Foundation. It consisted of the sum donated by Huntsman to the Foundation and residual interest rates on deposit.
Bearing in mind the fact that Oskanian confessed the amount was his share from the deal ( what was spent for personal purposes), and it wasn’t a large-scale theft and money legalization, as well as the payment of the income tax to the State, the investigating body has made a decision to reclassify the actions of Oskanian into large-scale tax evasion (point 2 of 205 Article of the Penal Code).
Taking into account that fact that Oskanian has voluntarily transferred 20,14 million drams in taxes, earlier evaded, the investigative body has made a decision to close the criminal case against Vartan Oskanian.
On 2 October Oskanian was stripped of his deputy immunity by the National Assembly.
He was later summoned to the National Security Service (NSS) and was formally charged with one count of particularly large-scale theft and one count of money laundering. Oskanian was also asked to testify as a ‘defendant’ in the high-profile case, but he refused to do so invoking his constitutional right.
Oskanian was charged by the National Security Service with misappropriating a $1.4-million donation that was made by U.S. philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. to his Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation in late 2010. —0-
According to the source, Oskanian, in his statement addressed to the structure, confessed he had used 250,790 U.S. dollars for personal purposes. This amount was donated by American philanthropist John Huntsman to Civilitas Foundation (Oskanian is a founder of the foundation). Oskanian said he had thought of this amount as his share of the deal.
The former foreign minister agreed to pay 20,14 million drams (over 49,000 dollars) in taxes from the owned 250,790 dollars. He transferred to the State this amount on 23 July.
Besides, after the criminal case was opened, Oskanian transferred 1,086 million dollars to Civilitas Foundation. It consisted of the sum donated by Huntsman to the Foundation and residual interest rates on deposit.
Bearing in mind the fact that Oskanian confessed the amount was his share from the deal ( what was spent for personal purposes), and it wasn’t a large-scale theft and money legalization, as well as the payment of the income tax to the State, the investigating body has made a decision to reclassify the actions of Oskanian into large-scale tax evasion (point 2 of 205 Article of the Penal Code).
Taking into account that fact that Oskanian has voluntarily transferred 20,14 million drams in taxes, earlier evaded, the investigative body has made a decision to close the criminal case against Vartan Oskanian.
On 2 October Oskanian was stripped of his deputy immunity by the National Assembly.
He was later summoned to the National Security Service (NSS) and was formally charged with one count of particularly large-scale theft and one count of money laundering. Oskanian was also asked to testify as a ‘defendant’ in the high-profile case, but he refused to do so invoking his constitutional right.
Oskanian was charged by the National Security Service with misappropriating a $1.4-million donation that was made by U.S. philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. to his Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation in late 2010. —0-
