Former President Sargsyan acquitted in embezzlement case

By Mark Dovich

Serzh Sargsyan, who served as Armenia’s president from 2008 to 2018, was acquitted Friday of embezzlement charges, along with two co-defendants, bringing an end to a yearslong criminal case that government critics decried as politically motivated.

There was no immediate comment from Sargsyan on the matter.

The Prosecutor General’s Office brought the case in 2019, shortly after Nikol Pashinyan was elected prime minister, ousting Sargsyan from power. It alleged the former president masterminded a scheme to embezzle more than $1 million from a program set up in 2013 by Armenia’s Agriculture Ministry to subsidize diesel fuel prices for farmers.

Charges were also brought against officials from the ministry, as well as Barsegh Beglaryan, the owner of Flash, one of Armenia’s largest petroleum importers and distributors.

As the case dragged on, Armenia’s 10-year statute of limitations expired, meaning Sargsyan and his co-defendants would not have faced any jail time, even if found guilty.

The Prosecutor General’s Office indicated Friday it plans to appeal.