In a statement, the FSB announced the arrest of four persons allegedly involved in the fraud scheme. One of them, identified as Valentina Matyushchenkova, is an employee of Russia’s Alrosa diamond-mining giant. The statement claimed that she and her son helped the two other, ethnic Armenian suspects replace Alrosa’s “high-quality and expensive crystals” with cheaper ones and smuggle them to Armenia from last September through January.
“When attempting to steal another batch of diamonds worth more than 1.7 million rubles ($22,000), these persons were detained red-handed,” it said.
“The stolen diamonds were delivered to Armenia’s ADM Diamonds limited liability company, the beneficiary of which is the Armenian entrepreneur and deputy of the local National Assembly [Khachatur] Sukiasian,” added the FSB.
Sukiasian swiftly denied through a spokeswoman having any links to the company. The latter likewise denied being fully or partly controlled by him. It also insisted that it has “never collaborated with illegal and criminal groups.”
An employee shows rough diamonds at a sorting center, owned by Alrosa company in Moscow, October 18, 2013.
ADM Diamonds inaugurated its diamond-cutting plant in Yerevan in 2019 at a ceremony attended by Sukiasian. The tycoon also commented on the newly established company’s activities. The investigative publication Hetq.am noted at the time that he is well-informed about details of its contracts and planned operations.
According to the Armenian state registry, ADM Diamonds currently has a single official owner: Artur Ohanjanian. It previously belonged to Asparik Baghikian and Marine Baghikian.
The FSB said that A. Baghikian and his brother are the “organizers” of the diamond scam who are “wanted internationally for smuggling rough diamonds.” The Russian security service did not specify whether Sukiasian is also a suspect in the case. It said only that it is continuing “investigative actions.”
Sukiasian’s spokesman, Anna Mkrtchian, said the FSB’s “disinformation” about the tycoon is part of an “information war” waged against him. Mkrtchian cited in that regard recent days’ “false” reports that Sukiasian is helping Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government seize Armenia’s national electric utility from Samvel Karapetian, a Russian-Armenian billionaire who was arrested on June 18 after strongly criticizing the premier.
The Kremlin is believed to have approved of Karapetian’s Armenia-related activities that were until now confined to business and benevolence. Not surprisingly, some Russian officials have expressed concern about his arrest.
For his part, Sukiasian, 63, is a member of the Armenian parliament representing Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. He and his extended family have significantly expanded their business interests since Pashinian came to power in 2018 not least because of lucrative government contracts won by their firms.
