Metsamor NPP’s ex-head said to embezzle over $1 million

Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office has stated that the former chief of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Gagik Markosyan, has embezzled over $1 million.

According to an investigation, Markosyan, who served as the NPP’s director general from 2002 to 2014, embezzled over 380 million drams (over $1 million), Caliber.Az reports quoting Armenian media.

In 2011, he purchased an incomplete set of reinforcement bars (14 units) from the Russian company NovEnergoProm at an unreasonably inflated price of 33.54 million rubles ($480,000) without any need.

The purchased products had not been used, were in storage and had passed their expiry date over time.

In 2015, the NPP was forced to buy a complete set of 37 units from Rosatom Services for $592,000.

On December 22, the prosecutor's office initiated proceedings against Markosyan. The case was referred to the Investigative Department of the National Security Service. On January 31, Markosyan was charged.

This is reportedly not the first criminal case against Markosyan. Back in 2016, another charge was filed against Markosyan and other representatives of the former NPP management board in connection with embezzlement on an especially large scale.