The investigators on Friday filed a criminal charge against bankrupt Armenian businessman Aram Petrosyan, who had taken hostages in a Moscow bank.

Yulia Ivanova, senior assistant to head of the Moscow General Department of the Russian Investigative Committee, informed that Petrosyan is charged with the Russian Criminal Code article on taking more than two persons hostage by using an object as a weapon.

Pursuant to the Russian Criminal Code, he could face 6 to 15 years in prison.

Bankrupt Armenian businessman Aram Petrosyan on Wednesday took four people hostage in a Citibank branch in downtown Moscow, and threatened to blow up this branch.

Later, however, he released the hostages and surrendered to Russian authorities.

It is noted that Petrosyan is the creator of the patents several devices.

In his earlier video message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Aram Petrosyan had asked Putin to be his “public defender.”