Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son were detained Tuesday after law enforcement officers conducted searches at dozens of locations linked to the family, the country's Anti-Corruption Committee said.
Armenia's Prosecutor General's Office said it initiated criminal prosecution against Kocharyan, 71, on charges of abuse of authority, bribery, and large-scale money laundering.
The office said it detained four other people besides Kocharyan and his eldest son Sedrak as part of the investigation.
Armenia's Anti-Corruption Committee said it was investigating allegations that state assets were illegally sold to private companies below market value during Kocharyan's time in office from 1998 to 2008. It further said the case included nine other people besides Kocharyan.
Former President Serzh Sargsyan, who served as Kocharyan's prime minister from 2007 to 2008 before becoming president himself from 2008 to 2018, is also facing charges for alleged abuse of power or official authority as part of the case, the committee said.
