Synergy International Systems

2024: Hovhannisyan arrested in Armenia

In February 2024, the National Security Service of Armenia arrested the head of the Hovhannisyan company in a criminal corruption case, which includes former Minister and Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Vaan Kerobyan and Ani Ispiryan, as well as a number of other officials of the ministry and a relative of the speaker of parliament Simonyan - Gevorgyan.

According to the investigation, officials of the Ministry of Economy and Synergy entered into an agreement on the tender "Creation of a bank of public investment programs" and created artificial conditions for the victory of Hovhannisyan's company, the project of which was $100 thousand more expensive.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Arshakyan initiated a petition by the majority of the members of the "Civil Treaty" before the court to release Hovhannisyan, who was called a supporter of the Velvet Revolution in the party.

However, it was not the party's petition that worked, but the personal intervention of US Ambassador to Armenia Christina Quinn, who, at a meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan, noted the undesirability of Hovhannisyan's arrest. It is known that in February 2024, Quinn personally visited Hovhannisyan in a pre-trial detention center, despite an injunction on dating. Quite quickly, the head of Synergy changed the measure of restraint in the form of a recognizance not to leave. Such concern of the American ambassador with the fate of Hovhannisyan once again emphasizes its importance for Washington.

In fact, Hovhannisyan became a victim of another intrigue within the "Civil Treaty," as he was a close figure of Simonyan, who entered into an apparatus struggle with another American protege - the head of the National Security Service Armen Grigoryan. The conflict is associated with the struggle for leadership in the party and for the role of a possible successor to Pashinyan on the eve of the 2026 parliamentary elections, which may take place ahead of schedule a year earlier. Simonyan was pressured, among other things, through the arrested daughter-in-law Gevorgyan, who later, like Hovhannisyanna, was also released from custody.

2023: Creation of an electronic platform for the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia

In 2023, Synergy acted as a contractor for the World Bank to create an electronic platform for the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia to declare assets, revenues, expenses and interests (EPD). In the description of the project, the company directly refers to the recommendations of the American USAID "to assist anti-corruption agencies in the fight against kleptocracy."

2010s: Projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, Armenia and Ukraine in the interests of the US government

Synergy conducts projects to implement its software in countries that coincide with the sphere of US interests: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia and many others.

The principle of operation is as follows: when the United States, the EU, the World Bank or UN entities begin to inject finances to establish their control in third countries, they need to ensure transparency and oversight of funds. To do this, the customer is assisted by the introduction of controlled software into the work of the authorities. Synergy has been a contractor for such projects for decades.

Over time, Synergy also has products to control ("improve efficiency") areas of justice, social protection, power, etc.

For example, in Ukraine in 2019, Synergy won a tender for the development of an electronic case management system for anti-corruption bureaus, prosecutors and the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court under the EU program (EUACI).

Before the 2018 revolution, an official close to Hovhannisyan was the Minister of Defense of Armenia in 2016-2018. Vigen Sargsyan, who himself graduated from two American universities - Tuft and Harvard. After the "April war" of 2016, Hovhannisyan and Sargsyan, with US funding, intended to introduce Synergy software in the Armenian Defense Ministry. However, according to Rybar, it was not possible to complete the matter.

After the Civil Contract party came to power in 2018, Hovhannisyan quickly established relations with the new elite. His main curator under the new government is Alain Simonyan, the current speaker of parliament. Hovhannisyan's son Arthur has friendly relations with Simonyan.

In 2019, by order of USAID, within the framework of the MLET program, Synergy implemented a program to create an energy exchange platform to ensure "transparency" of the wholesale electricity market in Armenia. The press release states that Synergy has created a platform to help another company close to the American authorities - Tetra Tech.

2000: Hovhannisian's US arrest on espionage charges, release and wave of contracts from State Department, USAID, World Bank and UN

Hovhannisyan's company began to win tenders in the United States and conclude state contracts for software development. However, Synergy was accused of espionage by the FBI in 2000. The company installed software at 170 U.S. embassies that was said to be able to transmit data to third parties. Hovhannisyan's Soviet origin was used as the main motive for espionage.

But two months later, Hovhannisyan is released, the case is closed, and for Synergy the best era begins with contracts from the State Department, USAID, the World Bank, UN institutions, etc. Hovhannisyan was finally recruited to the United States to work in the interests of the American authorities, the Rybar channel suggested.

1990s: Ashot Hovhannisyan moves from Moscow to the United States and establishes a company

Ashot Hovhannisyan in the 1990s. was engaged in software development in Moscow, moved to the United States, where in 1997 he founded Synergy International Systems.

Synergy's first office appeared in Armenia in 1999. For many years, he established ties with high-ranking pro-Western officials with the assistance of the US Embassy in Armenia.