Serzh Sargsyan's former bodyguard charged again

Armenia’s law-enforcement authorities have brought fresh charges against Vachagan Ghazaryan, a former chief bodyguard of ex-President Serzh Sargsyan, who was formerly prosecuted on illicit enrichment and tax evasion charges.

In a statement on Monday, the Prosecutor General’s Office said Ghazaryan, his spouse Ruzanna Beglaryan and the director of Yans Music Hall owned by them extorted a large sum of money through threats of violence.

They have been banned from leaving the country pending a probe into the case.

In October 2019, Armenian prosecutors dropped the charges against Ghazaryan and his wife after the couple had paid $6 million in taxes to the state.