ArmInfo.The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has uncovered a corruption scheme developed and implemented by the deputy head of one of the key departments of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) and the chief tax inspector of the same department.
In particular, according to the press service of the National Security Service, it turned out that the deputy head of the department in the State Revenue Committee A.M. and the chief tax inspector of the same department A.A., being authorized to conduct audits for budget compliance in companies engaged in economic activity, by abusing their official position revealing the taxes to be paid, did not record the entire amount of unpaid taxes, for which they received a bribe in especially large sizes.
Thus, in the course of checks carried out in February-March of this year, an economic entity engaged in the construction of multi-apartment buildings revealed unpaid tax liabilities for 126 million drams. The economic entity, having agreed with these officials, submitted an updated report to the tax authorities, according to which, instead of 126 million drams, it vhad to make additional tax payments for 59 million drams. Instead of A.M. and A.A. demanded from the economic entity and received a bribe of 65 thousand dollars, of which 5 thousand dollars – in cash, and 60 thousand dollars – in the form of two apartments in a building under construction at half the price.
In order to hide the real source of the bribe received, these apartments were registered in the names of relatives of A.M. and A.A., thus an attempt was made to legalize property obtained by criminal means.
The materials prepared on this fact were sent to the Anti-Corruption Committee, where a criminal case was initiated on the grounds of paragraph 2, .1, art. 311 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (Receiving a bribe in especially large amounts, committed on an especially large scale), p.1, part 3, art. 312 (Giving a bribe on an especially large scale) and paragraph 1, part 3, art. 190 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (Legalization of illegally obtained income, committed on an especially large scale).
Employees of the National Security Service and the Anti-Corruption Committee conducted searches at the place of work and residence of the indicated officials of the State Revenue Committee and the head of the company-economic entity, during which materials of evidentiary value for the criminal case were found. A.M. and A.A. has been detained. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
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Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2022/05/03/in-armenia-tax-authorities-for-generous-reward-turned-a-blind-eye-to-unpaid-taxes/
