Armenian Authorities Charge Brother of Former President Sarkisian with Financial Crimes

Significant Move Against Serzh Sarkisian’s Inner Circle

On July 7, 2021, the Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia announced financial crime charges against the brother of former President Serzh Sarkisian, Levon Sarkisian, and his children, Narek and Ani.

Accusations and Arrest Warrant

According to the SIS statement, the suspects have been accused of:

• Illegal business activity
• Forgery (Levon Sarkisian and Ani)

An arrest warrant has been issued for Levon Sarkisian. However, Ani and Narek are allowed to sign a pledge not to leave the country instead of being held in pretrial detention.

Crackdown on Corruption

The sudden arrest and charges mark one of the high-profile actions taken by Armenian law enforcement agencies since the election of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Pashinian campaigned on a platform promising to eradicate corruption in the country. After taking office on May 8, he launched a crackdown on corruption, leading to criminal probes against various individuals close to Serzh Sarkisian.

Separate Criminal Investigations

Two nephews of the former president, the sons of his controversial brother Aleksandr Sarkisian, have also been targeted in separate criminal investigations.

Response from Prime Minister Pashinian

Pashinian acknowledged these developments but denied that the former president’s family is being selectively targeted. In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on July 6, he reiterated that the cases against Sarkisian’s relatives are being pursued based on their legal merits, asserting that they are not “politically” motivated.

Discovery of Alleged Undeclared Funds

The SIS initiated a criminal probe against Levon Sarkisian and his children following the discovery of nearly $7 million allegedly held in an Armenian bank by the State Revenue Committee last month. The Committee claimed the suspects failed to properly declare the funds.