Alleged Vote-Buying and Money Laundering Scheme Uncovered; Aleksan Aleksanyan Arrested

YEREVAN — Armenia’s Investigative Committee announced that it has uncovered a scheme involving the financial incentivization of individuals and large-scale money laundering. Aleksan Aleksanyan, a supporter of the Strong Armenia party, has been arrested.

According to investigators, Aleksanyan, founder and head of the NGO “Preservation of National Values Our Way,” formally employed approximately 1,400 citizens between September 2025 and May 2026, allegedly involving them in rallies and demonstrations organized by supporters of Samvel Karapetyan, the NGO, and the Strong Armenia party. More than 400 of those individuals were simultaneously employed by other companies.

The Investigative Committee stated that between October 8, 2025, and March 31, 2026, approximately 1.6 billion drams, €230,000, and $75,000 were transferred to the NGO’s bank accounts from organizations linked to Samvel Karapetyan, including the Tashir Charitable Foundation, Intego Energo, and Tashir Capital, under the labels of “donations” and “loans.”

Authorities allege that Aleksanyan distributed 703.8 million drams as salaries and equivalent payments and another 59.4 million drams under civil employment contracts, totaling approximately 763.3 million drams.

According to investigators, around 500 individuals have been questioned. Public criminal charges have been filed against Aleksanyan on allegations of financially incentivizing participation in political gatherings and laundering particularly large sums of money. He has been detained pending a court decision on pretrial detention.