Tweet
NSS: OSKANIAN ADMITS OFFENSE, PROSECUTION DISCONTINUED
NSS: Oskanian admits offense, prosecution discontinued
NEWS | 24.07.13 | 12:08
Photolure
The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has discontinued
the criminal case against former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan
Oskanian after the latter reportedly admitted to misuse of some of
the money allocated to his institution for charity purposes and paid
the due taxes.
In a statement released on Wednesday the NSS said that on July
19 Oskanian testified that he used $250,795 of the money (some $2
million) donated by American philanthropist Jon Hunstman for purely
charity purposes for his private purposes "considering this sum as
his share from the deal".
Oskanian, the statement said, also paid to the state budget of Armenia
the income tax in the amount of $49,363 estimated by the State Revenues
Committee from the above-mentioned sum of money.
"The criminal case earlier instituted on the 'money laundering' count
was re-qualified as 'large-scale tax evasion'. Taking into account
the fact that Oskanian voluntarily settled his tax obligations,
it was decided to discontinue the criminal prosecution," the NSS said.
The case was first brought against Oskanian shortly after the
parliamentary elections of May 2012 in which the former foreign
minister participated as a candidate with the 'alternative' Prosperous
Armenia Party. In autumn, while the investigation was in progress,
Oskanian was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in a move that
fueled more speculation about the political nature of the prosecution.
All along Oskanian and his aides denied any wrongdoing, claiming that
the case was politically motivated.
Oskanian did not comment immediately on today's announcement of
the NSS.
NSS: Oskanian admits offense, prosecution discontinued
NEWS | 24.07.13 | 12:08
Photolure
The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has discontinued
the criminal case against former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan
Oskanian after the latter reportedly admitted to misuse of some of
the money allocated to his institution for charity purposes and paid
the due taxes.
In a statement released on Wednesday the NSS said that on July
19 Oskanian testified that he used $250,795 of the money (some $2
million) donated by American philanthropist Jon Hunstman for purely
charity purposes for his private purposes "considering this sum as
his share from the deal".
Oskanian, the statement said, also paid to the state budget of Armenia
the income tax in the amount of $49,363 estimated by the State Revenues
Committee from the above-mentioned sum of money.
"The criminal case earlier instituted on the 'money laundering' count
was re-qualified as 'large-scale tax evasion'. Taking into account
the fact that Oskanian voluntarily settled his tax obligations,
it was decided to discontinue the criminal prosecution," the NSS said.
The case was first brought against Oskanian shortly after the
parliamentary elections of May 2012 in which the former foreign
minister participated as a candidate with the 'alternative' Prosperous
Armenia Party. In autumn, while the investigation was in progress,
Oskanian was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in a move that
fueled more speculation about the political nature of the prosecution.
All along Oskanian and his aides denied any wrongdoing, claiming that
the case was politically motivated.
Oskanian did not comment immediately on today's announcement of
the NSS.