Samvel Karapetyan (businessman)
Samvel Karapetyan | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 18, 1965 Kalinino (now Tashir), Lori province, Armenian SSR |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Proprietor of Tashir Group conglomerate |
Samvel Karapetyan (; ; born August 18, 1965) is a billionaire businessman of Russian-Armenian descent and the proprietor of the Tashir Group conglomerate.
Early and personal life
Karapetyan was born in Kalinino (currently known as Tashir), located in the Lori province of the Armenian SSR. He completed his studies at Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, graduating from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in 1986.
He is married and has three children, with his family residing in Moscow. His son Sarkis and daughter Tatevik occupy executive positions within Tashir, with Tatevik overseeing the expansion of the cinema chain. Karapetyan is also the owner of the 85-meter Lürssen superyacht named ACE.
His brother, Karen Karapetyan, is a politician associated with Armenia’s Republican Party and has served as a member of parliament.
In November 2017, Samvel Karapetyan was appointed president of FC Ararat Moscow football club.
Business and philanthropy
During the 1990s, Karapetyan relocated to Russia and by 1997 assumed the presidency of Kalugaglavsnab OAO, a logistics company based in Kaluga that notably provided services to Gazprom, Russia’s state gas corporation. He subsequently ventured into Moscow’s real estate sector. In 1999, he established the Tashir Group, which encompasses over 200 enterprises spanning industries such as manufacturing, construction, supply chains, hospitality, and more, collectively employing upwards of 30,000 individuals.
Tashir Group has made substantial investments in Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, including ownership of two prominent shopping centers in Yerevan and control over the Electric Networks of Armenia. In 2013, Karapetyan funded the construction of a new hospital in Stepanakert, Artsakh’s capital. After Azerbaijani shelling destroyed this facility in October 2020, he committed to its reconstruction. In September 2021, Tashir revealed plans to inject $600 million into enhancing and modernizing Armenia’s energy infrastructure.
In June 2020, Karapetyan contributed a portion of a 2 billion dram bail that secured former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s release from detention.
Controversies
In January 2018, the US Treasury Department included Karapetyan on the so-called "Putin list," which identifies oligarchs and political figures prominent during Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
In April 2021, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General initiated a criminal investigation against Karapetyan on allegations that he transported weapons to Nagorno-Karabakh; Karapetyan rejected these accusations.
On June 18, 2025, Armenian authorities detained Karapetyan under Article 422 of the Criminal Code for publicly advocating the seizure of power. His arrest came after he defended the Armenian Apostolic Church amid governmental allegations directed at Catholicos Karekin II. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggested that Russia might be leveraging Karapetyan to carry out a "hybrid operation" against his administration.
From detention, Karapetyan asserted that his arrest was influenced by Azerbaijani interests and criticized Pashinyan’s approach toward Azerbaijan and relations with Russia. Former President Robert Kocharyan decried the arrest as a "national disgrace," while the pro-Russian I Have Honor Alliance also condemned it.
Approximately one week later, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan was apprehended for alleged participation in a coup attempt aimed at overthrowing Pashinyan’s government with support from roughly 1,000 former military and police personnel.
Awards
In 2011, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan honored Karapetyan with the Mesrop Mashtots Medal in recognition of his impactful efforts toward advancing national priorities and his unwavering commitment to Armenia's progress.
Wealth
By September 2021, Forbes valued Karapetyan's fortune at $5 billion. In March 2013, he attained the status of the wealthiest individual of Armenian descent worldwide, overtaking Armenian-American entrepreneur Kirk Kerkorian.
| Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Wealth ($ billion) | 0.75 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 2.9 |
| Ranking (worldwide) | 879 | 804 | 353 | 345 | 418 | 549 | 564 | 606 | 568 | 836 | 1143 |