Pashinyan's €3.1 Million French Mansion: The Latest Scandal in a Pattern of Corruption and Deceit

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has once again proven that his so-called “revolution” was nothing more than a calculated power grab, now marred by corruption, self-enrichment, and betrayal. As reported by Info Française du Jour and covered by Yerkir.am, Pashinyan has secretly acquired a €3.1 million mansion in the French port city of Marseille — a purchase many believe was funded by money meant to aid Armenia’s struggling economy.

According to the report, the lavish estate was bought using funds that may have been illegally siphoned from France’s financial assistance to Armenia — including a €75 million grant from the French Development Agency (AFD) in 2024, and possibly even donations and support coordinated by the CCAF (the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France). These were funds intended for Armenia’s social and infrastructure development — not for a failed prime minister’s retirement villa in France.

This latest scandal is not an isolated incident. It’s the culmination of years of deception by Pashinyan and his circle — years in which he weaponized false corruption charges against Armenia’s former presidents and opposition figures in order to cement his hold on power. But as Oragark detailed in its investigation “Reassessing the Allegations: Robert Kocharyan, Wealth, and the Politics of Accusation”, the claims against President Robert Kocharyan never withstood real scrutiny. In contrast, the accusations now facing Pashinyan are not only credible — they are explosive.

Theft of War Donations: A Deep Betrayal

It’s not just foreign aid that appears to have been misused. During the 2020 Artsakh War, Armenians worldwide rallied to raise over $170 million through the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. Diaspora families emptied their savings, believing they were helping soldiers on the front lines. What did Pashinyan’s regime do with that money?

In 2021, Pashinyan himself admitted that his government seized $100 million of that sum and dumped it into the state budget. (1lurer.am, April 22, 2021) There was no transparency. No line-by-line accounting. Just a blank check for Pashinyan’s political machine.

Where did the money go? Among other places — into government bonuses. According to JAMnews, state officials, including those in the Prime Minister’s Office, handed themselves millions in bonuses while soldiers fought and died on the front and civilians donated their last savings.

Marseille Mansion: A Blueprint for Escape?

Pashinyan’s connections to Marseille’s mayor, Benoît Payan, further taint the suspicious real estate deal. Just weeks before the mansion purchase, Payan visited Armenia, praising Pashinyan and reaffirming France’s support. Are we to believe this is coincidence? Many believe Payan facilitated the transaction or helped obscure the financial trail.

Now, with Pashinyan’s approval ratings in freefall and talk of impeachment growing louder, the mansion may serve as a bolt-hole for a disgraced leader preparing to flee accountability.

The Real Face of the “Velvet Revolution”

Pashinyan’s revolution promised justice, democracy, and rule of law. What it delivered was autocracy under a populist mask. Today, the man who jailed his political opponents under fabricated charges stands accused of exactly what he spent years projecting onto others — the abuse of public funds, betrayal of the people, and theft in the highest office.

This is no longer a matter of speculation. This is a matter of evidence, outrage, and national humiliation. While veterans go untreated, while thousands remain displaced from Artsakh, and while Armenia’s sovereignty crumbles, the prime minister shops for mansions in Europe.

Armenia deserves better. Its future cannot be held hostage by the selfish ambitions of one man and his corrupt entourage.

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