«King of sunflower oil» Karen Vanetsyan detained in Moscow

RBC, 112 and Shot report the detention in the Russian Federation of businessman Vanetsyan, who is wanted by Armenia

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Several Russian publications are reporting the detention in Moscow of businessman Karen Vanetsyan, brother of the former director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan.

At home, a criminal case has been opened against the entrepreneur on charges of money laundering using his official position. According to investigators, in 2018 Vanetsyan acquired and managed 12.5% ​​of the shares of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine for $15.5 million, which actually belonged to the Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican, and illegally received $35 million. Vanetsyan’s brother stated that the relative’s business is political engaged.

In Russia, Vanetsyan last year completed a deal to acquire Russian business and vegetable oil brands from the international agricultural trader Bunge. It was reported that the assets of the business leaving Russia went to the buyer with a 50 percent discount, but the transaction amount was not specified.

According to Shot, a 55-year-old citizen of Armenia and Switzerland was detained the night before on Novy Arbat.

According to 112, Vanetsyan “was identified with the direct participation of the video monitoring group of the Moscow Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” and he told the operatives that he “lives in a small town in the Lipetsk region” and does not work. It is reported that the businessman has already been “placed under arrest.”

Information about Vanetsyan’s arrest was confirmed to RBC by a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.