Damage from Misappropriations in Gyumri Laboratory Partially Recovered by Director

A comprehensive investigation conducted by the Special Investigative Committee of Armenia has revealed significant misappropriations at the Gyumri Pathological Anatomy Laboratory. The laboratory's director, who held the position from 2012 to 2018, is accused of misappropriating a substantial sum of 34,389,844 AMD through embezzlement and 8,861,073 AMD in bribes.

Specifically, the director allegedly hired family members and acquaintances as employees but did not require them to actually perform any work. Despite their absence, the director ordered that their salaries be included in payroll lists approved every month, resulting in payments totaling 8,577,344 AMD from 2012 until September 2018.

From January 1, 2012, to December 2018, the director reportedly misreported the number of autopsies conducted to tax authorities and failed to deposit remaining funds into the laboratory's treasury, embezzling a total of 25,812,500 AMD from these operations.

Additionally, the director is accused of accepting bribes totaling 8,861,073 AMD between July 21, 2012, and October 2018 in exchange for illegal favors and patronage over two residents of Shirak province. Sufficient evidence has led to charges against the laboratory director under Article 179 (embezzlement or waste) of the Criminal Code, specifically for three counts, and Article 308 (abuse of official authority) for two counts, along with Article 311 (accepting bribes).

Charges have also been filed against the director's wife and relatives for aiding in the misappropriation, as well as against two residents of Shirak for giving bribes. They are subject to restrictions on leaving the country as a precautionary measure.

During the preliminary investigation, the director has partially compensated damage by returning 8,578,000 AMD. The criminal case has been forwarded to the prosecutor overseeing the legality of the preliminary investigation for further action, and additional charges have been laid against an acquaintance of the director, with a search warrant issued.