The Samvel Karapetyan case: When philanthropy becomes a threat

Few contemporary Armenian businessmen are as widely recognized — or as influential — as Samvel Karapetyan. The billionaire founder of the Tashir Group has been a prominent philanthropist, funding the rebuilding of churches, schools, hospitals and cultural monuments across Armenia and Artsakh. For many, Karapetyan came to symbolize a certain model of diaspora patriotism: a successful entrepreneur channeling significant resources into the recovery and development of a fragile post-Soviet homeland.

That reputation made his arrest earlier this year all the more shocking. The Pashinyan government accused Karapetyan of “illegal enrichment” and “financial impropriety” tied to his charitable foundations. His defenders, including the Armenian Apostolic Church, describe the case as a political hit job — a message to any independent figure with both resources and moral standing outside government control.