Business magnate Samvel Karapetyan faces new charge over alleged money laundering

Samvel Karapetyan, the founder of the Tashir Group of Companies, has been charged with money laundering in connection with the activities of several companies, his defense team said a statement, describing the charges as “obviously unfounded.”

On June 17, Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire and owner of the Tashir Group, accused the Armenian government of conducting an anti-church campaign, declaring that he would intervene “in his own way” to stop it. Authorities said his statements made in Yerevan amount to a threat to seize power.  As a result, investigators filed criminal charges against him for “publicly calling for the usurpation of power.” A court subsequently approved a two-month pre-trial detention.

Karapetyan has denied any wrongdoing.

 Following his arrest, Karapetyan has announced the formation of a new political force.