Employee of the Armenian Tax Committee Arrested on Suspicion of Receiving Bribes

The National Security Service of Armenia has reported the arrest of an employee of the Tax Committee on suspicion of receiving bribes. The employee, identified as N.P., held the position of chief operative in the Investigation and Operational Intelligence Department of the Shirak Division of the Tax Committee.

According to the investigation, N.P. failed to fulfill his official duties that required monitoring taxpayers in accordance with the law and applying legal measures for violations in tax obligations during 2019-2020. Instead of enforcing the law against individuals engaged in illegal entrepreneurial activities in the Shirak region, it is alleged that N.P. demanded bribes ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 Armenian drams from these individuals on a monthly basis.

In addition to these actions, N.P. failed to record violations committed by several companies in the mining sector and advised them on how to conceal their breaches while demanding monthly bribes of 100,000 drams until June 26, 2020. On that date, N.P. was caught red-handed by the agents of the NSS during the acceptance of a bribe.

As a result of the ongoing investigation, a criminal case was initiated based on several articles of the Armenian Criminal Code, leading to N.P.'s arrest. Authorities conducted 12 searches at the residences of those presumed to have given bribes and engaged in illegal business operations, seizing dental practice equipment, medical materials, and lists of patients who had used these services.

It has been revealed that numerous individuals engaged in unlawful entrepreneurial activities without proper registration or licenses in various communities within the Shirak region, regularly paying bribes to officials to cover their illegal operations.

As of June 28, 2020, eight individuals were included as suspects in the bribery and unlawful business activity case, with two arrested and six subject to restrictions on their freedom. Ongoing investigations aim to determine the actual damage caused to the state due to unlawful business activities and to uncover additional criminal behaviors connected to N.P. The NSS urges business entities to operate strictly within legal frameworks and to refrain from any form of corruption.