Samvel Mayrapetyan

Logo of Samvel Mayrapetyan

Samvel Mayrapetyan is an Armenian businessman known for construction of elite buildings in Yerevan. He is director and holds 50% ownership in Second Armenian TV Channel LLC, which operates H2 television channel.


Mayrapetyan is considered a close associate of former President Robert Kocharyan and former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan. He has business connections with Sedrak Kocharyan, son of former President Robert Kocharyan: Mayrapetyan owns 60% of Toyota Yerevan LLC, with Sedrak Kocharyan holding 30% and Levon Sultanyan, Deputy Director of Second Armenian TV Channel, holding 10%.


Following the 2018 change of government, Mayrapetyan has been implicated in criminal cases and is currently wanted by law enforcement. He faces charges related to aiding in the receipt of a 7 million USD bribe. In October 2018, he was arrested and placed in detention. Another businessperson, Silva Hambardzumyan, declared that she had given this sum to Mayrapetyan to transfer to Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, and Armen Gevorgyan.


Mayrapetyan remained in detention from October 2018 until December 2019. He was subsequently released on bail, and the Investigative Committee permitted him to leave the country and receive medical treatment in Germany. On March 3, 2020, it was discovered that Mayrapetyan had failed to appear before the Investigative Committee. He was declared wanted, and a detention order was issued as a preventive measure.

Media Companies / Groups

Media Outlets

Facts

affiliated_business_interests

Renting/Leasing Real Estate

  • George LLC (100%, Director, Armenia)

  • Progress-Armenia LLC (50%, Armenia)

  • Local Developers LLC (50%, Armenia)

 

Wholesale Trade of Light Passenger Cars

  • Toyota Yerevan LLC (60%, Armenia)

 

Hotel Services

  • HIY LLC (20%, Armenia)

 

Wood Processing

  • Wood Working Center "Karitas" LLC (50%, Armenia)

 

Tourism Sector Services

  • BACK-Hotel Tour LLC (50%, Director, Armenia)

 

Affiliated Interests Family & Friends
  • Gohar Qyalyan
    Gohar Kyalyan is the wife and business partner of Samvel Mayrapetyan. From 2006 to 2011, she served as Rector of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi. Kyalyan jointly holds shares with Mayrapetyan in companies involved in construction and real estate. She is involved in criminal cases related to property of illicit origin and money laundering. Public criminal prosecution was announced against her in 2023. Kyalyan's son from her first marriage to Tigran Sultanyan, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor, is Levon Sultanyan. Levon Sultanyan serves as Deputy Director of Second Armenian TV Channel and holds a 10% stake in Toyota Yerevan LLC, which is co-owned by Mayrapetyan (60%) and Sedrak Kocharyan, son of former President Robert Kocharyan (30%).
  • Armen Gevorgyan
    Armen Gevorgyan is a political figure, former Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, and a close associate of Samvel Mayrapetyan. Born in Yerevan in 1973, Gevorgyan received his education in Russia and the Netherlands and holds a PhD in Pedagogical Sciences. He began working in the state system in 1997 as an assistant to the Prime Minister. From 1998 to 2008, he held key positions including Aide to the President of Armenia, First Aide, Chief of Staff to the President, and simultaneously Secretary of the National Security Council. From 2008 to 2014, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Territorial Administration. In 2021, he was elected to Parliament on the national electoral list of the Armenia alliance. In May 2021, the Special Investigation Service announced that Gevorgyan had illicitly obtained and legalized a total of 4.9 billion AMD (approximately 12.4 million USD). Specifically, individuals affiliated with Gevorgyan established companies in Armenia and the Czech Republic under which real estate properties were registered. These individuals circulated monetary funds through bank transactions, but the market values of purchased real estate and circulated funds significantly exceeded their officially declared legitimate income. Gevorgyan is also involved in the high-profile March 1 case, facing charges of accepting bribes and money laundering connected to Samvel Mayrapetyan's case. He is under a written undertaking not to leave the country. He has consistently denied all accusations.
  • Levon Sultanyan
    Levon Sultanyan is the son of Gohar Kyalyan from her first marriage to Tigran Sultanyan, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor. He serves as Deputy Director of Second Armenian TV Channel, which operates H2 television channel. Sultanyan is also involved in other companies belonging to his stepfather Samvel Mayrapetyan and mother Gohar Kyalyan. He holds a 10% stake in Toyota Yerevan LLC, with the remaining shares held by Mayrapetyan (60%) and Sedrak Kocharyan, son of former President Robert Kocharyan (30%).
  • Robert Kocharyan
    Robert Kocharyan is a politician who served as President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) from 1994 to 1997 and subsequently as President of Armenia from 1998 to 2008. He was among the political leaders of the Artsakh movement from February 1988. On March 20, 1997, Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan appointed Kocharyan as Prime Minister of Armenia. Ter-Petrosyan resigned on February 3, 1998, due to internal government disagreements over the Artsakh issue. Prime Minister Kocharyan, Interior and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan, and Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan had opposed his position. Kocharyan was elected President of Armenia on March 30, 1998, in special elections and re-elected on March 5, 2003. European observer missions assessed both elections as marred by fraud and neither fair nor transparent. His presidency ended with the March 1, 2008 events. According to official results of the February 19, 2008 presidential election, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan received 52.82% of votes while his opponent, first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, received 21.5%. Ter-Petrosyan and supporters contested the results in Constitutional Court while holding rallies and sit-ins. On March 1, 2008, Kocharyan ordered forceful dispersal of demonstrators. Clashes between police, armed forces, and demonstrators resulted in 10 deaths: 8 demonstrators and 2 police officers. After leaving office, Kocharyan served on the board of directors of Russian Sistema JSFC from 2009 to 2021. Following the 2018 change of government, criminal proceedings were initiated against Kocharyan regarding the March 1 events and illegal asset forfeiture. These cases remain ongoing. In 2021, he returned to politics, participating in snap parliamentary elections as the main opponent of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. His Armenia Alliance entered parliament with 27 MPs. He has announced plans to participate in 2026 parliamentary elections. Kocharyan maintains a pro-Russian orientation, believing Armenia cannot independently ensure regional security and must restore strategic partnership with Russia.
  • Sedrak Kocharyan
    Sedrak Kocharyan is a business partner of Samvel Mayrapetyan and the elder son of former President Robert Kocharyan. He is an economist by profession and has been engaged in business activities since 2002, when his father served as President of Armenia. Kocharyan currently serves as founder, co-founder, board member, and chairman in companies across several sectors. He and his wife, Zaruhi Badalyan, own property in Armenia and abroad, particularly in Tanzania. He is a defendant in a case regarding confiscation of illicit assets. Kocharyan holds a 30% stake in Toyota Yerevan LLC, which is involved in the sale and service of Toyota brand vehicles. The remaining shares are held by Samvel Mayrapetyan (60%) and Levon Sultanyan, Deputy Director of Second Armenian TV Channel (10%).
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Information about Samvel Mayrapetyan and associated individuals is derived from public sources. Data concerning their companies and ownership stakes were extracted from the State Register of Legal Entities. Information about criminal charges and legal proceedings was obtained from court documents, Investigative Committee announcements, and media reports.

Mayrapetyan's current whereabouts are unknown, as he has been wanted by law enforcement since March 2020. His fugitive status has made direct verification of biographical details impossible.

Sources
Documents (PDF)
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC profile (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC Beneficial ownership declaration (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC CEO (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC owner (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC charter (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Second Armenian TV Channel LLC charter updated (Armenian)
    Link File
  • MOM request to H2 (Armenian)
    File