The operating license of the Shangri La casino, owned by eccentric tycoon and opposition figure Gagik Tsarukyan, has been revoked by the Armenian government. The move was the latest blow against Tsarukyan as he and other opposition figures continue to face pressure following the victory of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party in the parliamentary elections earlier in June.
Tsarukyan, a flamboyant billionaire, owns a variety of businesses and also heads the Prosperous Armenia party, which fell just shy of reaching the 4% threshold to join parliament.
In addition to his almost completed project to install the world’s tallest Jesus Christ statue, Tsarukyan said in May he would construct a giant Noah’s Ark monument in Armenia.
In comments about the revocation of the Shangri La operating license, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said financial discrepancies in the gaming machine counters had been discovered after an inspection earlier this year.
Separately, just days after the election, Tsarukyan was placed under investigation on charges of large-scale tax evasion.
The announcement followed reports in Armenian government-affiliated media that Tsarukyan had attempted to leave the country on Tuesday through Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport, but was prevented from doing so.
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