YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Russia-based Armenian businessman and philanthropist Levon Hayrapetyan has passed away on October 18 after battling a long-time disease, writer Zori Balayan told ARMENPRESS.

“We was suffering from a serious disease, and during his last days he was seemingly foreboding his death. He passed away in the early morning and a few hours before he died he said he wanted to be buried in Moscow, next to his parents”, Balayan said.

Levon Hayrapetyan was born in 1949 in the village of Vank in Nagorno Karabakh’s Martakert region.

He played an active role in the creation of NKR and is considered to be one its main sponsors. He is one of the largest investors in the modern history of Nagorno Karabakh.

Hayrapetyan financed the reconstruction of the renowned Gandzasar monastery in 2000-2002.

On October 16, 2008, the philanthropist organized a mass wedding ceremony in Shushi and Gandzasar for 700 couples.

He was arrested in Moscow for embezzlement charges, but denied any wrongdoing.