Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 27 / Trend T.Hajiyev /
The Azerbaijani political scientists believe money stolen from the U.S. budget by the international Armenian criminal group may be transferred to separatists of the Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The international criminal gang is headed by the Karabakh Armenian. In this regard, the relations between the gang and separatist regime of the Nagorno-Karabakh are not ruled out. Money abducted in the U.S. could be sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists," Analyst Rasim Musabeyov told Trend.
The United States broke up an international criminal gang consisting of the Armenians engaged in financial scams. The detainees have established a network of 118 non-existent health facilities in 25 states to receive insurance payments, as a result of fraud, they have appropriated $ 163 million from the budget. The group was headed by Armen Kazarian, known under the pseudonym "Pzo".
FBI agents went to Yerevan to check criminal gang's ties with the Armenian banks.
According to Musabeyov, the investigation must establish whether this band had a direct link with terrorist organizations.
Musabeyov believes much of the money was 'laundered' in Armenia.
"I think that if the Armenian side honestly cooperates with the Americans, takes part in the capture of criminals and confiscation of stolen money, Armenia and its leaders will be able to avoid significant losses. Otherwise, Armenians' account in the U.S. may be seized, as well as aid allocated to Armenia reduced or even stopped," Musabeyov added.
Political Innovation and Technology Center Head Mubariz Ahmadoglu also considers the transfer of stolen money to the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists as a real.
"Armenians of all over the world have turned into ethnic criminal social network. The entire Armenian community has a penchant for crime. Armenians created the terrorist group standing in first place in the world," Ahmadoglu said.
The criminal elements, he said, played a significant role in the elections held in Armenia - the two parliamentary and two presidential.
"The criminal elements played an important role in the election of Robert Kocharian for the first and second terms of presidency, as well as in the election of Serzh Sargsyan. The Armenian people, choosing a president, parliament, also elect the head of the Armenian criminal world," he said.
Ahmadoglu said the U.S. position towards Armenia changed after the exposure of the international group consisting of Armenians.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
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