Chinese Citizen Alleges $40,000 Gold Bar Scam in Yerevan
Yerevan, May 28 – An incident on May 24 saw a 51-year-old Chinese citizen, Biao Xiao, report to the Yerevan Criminal Department of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia that he was defrauded of 40,000 US dollars by two compatriots who sold him fake gold bars. The alleged scam took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 19, but the report was filed in Yerevan at the “Nairi” hotel located at 121 Armenakyan Street, according to Shamshyan.com.
Xiao informed law enforcement officials that 56-year-old Jgui Zeng and 56-year-old Xiaohus Chun allegedly deceived him into purchasing counterfeit gold bars, for which they received 40,000 US dollars and 4,000 Georgian Lari.
Police Detain Suspects, Recover Funds
Following the report, police apprehended Zeng and Chun at the 121 Armenak Armenakyan Street address on suspicion of fraud. Both individuals were taken to the Yerevan Criminal Department for further investigation. During personal searches, law enforcement officers reportedly found 37,200 US dollars and 10,000 drams on Zeng, and 48,000 drams on Chun.
The documents pertaining to the case have been transferred to the Investigative Department of Yerevan City of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, specifically to the investigative division of the Kentron and Nork Marash administrative districts, for further proceedings.
Broader Context: High-Profile Visits and Events in Yerevan
This incident occurs amidst a period of heightened international activity in Yerevan. Recent days have seen several European leaders arriving in the Armenian capital for the 8th Summit of the European Political Community. Among the notable figures are French President Emmanuel Macron, who expressed his pleasure to return to Armenia, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also arrived in Armenia, marking his first visit in 24 years, to participate in the summit.
The summit itself is a significant event, with discussions expected to cover various political and regional issues. Notably, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is also scheduled to join the 8th Summit of the European Political Community in Yerevan via video link.
These high-level visits and the ongoing summit underscore Yerevan’s growing importance on the international stage, even as local law enforcement addresses criminal incidents such as the reported gold bar scam.
Source: https://news.am/hy/news/884979
