Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his son were detained on Tuesday as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation involving allegations of bribery and the acquisition of state property at below-market prices, authorities said.
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee alleged that Kocharyan, working with people close to him, used his position as president to acquire valuable state assets through fabricated arrangements. Investigators said properties were subsequently registered under affiliated companies or individuals to conceal their true ownership.
Authorities allege that 56 properties worth 2.634 billion Armenian drams ($7.2 million) were transferred to Kocharyan as bribes.
“To conceal their true ownership and origin, the objects were registered under official sales contracts in the names of members of the former president’s family and associated organisations,” the committee said.
Investigators also alleged that land belonging to Armenia’s Defence Ministry was sold to a company linked to a Kocharyan associate for about one-quarter of its market value.
In another allegation, a 30% stake in Toyota Yerevan was transferred to the then-president as a bribe before being registered in his son’s name through what investigators described as sham sale agreements.
A total of six people have been detained in connection with the investigation.
Authorities are also examining substantial financial transfers made to Kocharyan’s son between 2001 and 2019, as well as the acquisition of more than three dozen properties in Armenia and abroad by people associated with the case and their relatives.
The Anti-Corruption Committee said measures had been taken to freeze assets to prevent their transfer or disposal while the investigation continues.
Kocharyan served as Armenia’s president from 1998 to 2008. He has faced previous criminal proceedings, including cases related to the 2008 crackdown on protesters and bribery allegations, although those cases were dropped in 2021.
He faced fresh corruption charges earlier this summer concerning the 2004 lease of land in Yerevan and lost his parliamentary immunity in June.