Day: October 16, 2025

The Georgian Ministry of Finance has arrested five Russian citizens on charges of illegal entrepreneurial activities and money laundering.

At an October 16 press briefing, Guga Tavberidze, deputy head of the Finance Ministry’s Investigative Service, said an unnamed company “had been providing crypto asset services without proper registration or authorization from the National Bank of Georgia” through an illegal office and by offering a “courier service.” Tavberidze added that over the past several months, the company had conducted transactions involving crypto assets worth “hundreds of millions of lari,” engaging in uncontrolled international transfers.

“The investigation also found that Russian citizens had allegedly been bringing large amounts of foreign currency into Georgia by car, apparently bypassing border controls, to purchase virtual assets and then legalize illicit funds,” Tavberidze said, adding, “Despite the scale of these operations, neither the company nor the individuals involved were found to have made any tax payments to the state budget.”

The ministry official added that authorities seized a total of USD 721,000, along with accounting records, documentation, and computer equipment. The cash was confiscated both from the company’s office and from vehicles bearing Russian Federation license plates.

The investigation is being conducted under Articles 192 and 194 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertain to illegal entrepreneurial activities and the legalization of illegal income, punishable by nine to twelve years in prison.

According to Tavberidze, the investigation is ongoing to identify additional individuals who may have evaded disclosure and to uncover further evidence of illegal activities.

Also Read:

• 16/09/2025 – One Person Detained Over Alleged Scheme of Laundering up to $700 Million
  

How Gurban Gurbanov put Azerbaijan football on Europe’s map  Euronews.com

On October 16, a farewell ceremony was held at the International Mugham Center for the prominent tar player, pedagogue, State Prize laureate, People’s Artist, and Professor Ramiz Guliyev, Azernews reports.

As the world watches the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the spotlight is turning to an unusual coalition of Muslim-majority nations — Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, as potential contributors to a U.S.-proposed international stabilization force.

While the concept remains in its early stages, the idea signals a new approach to peacekeeping in the Middle East: one where regional actors, rather than Western troops, could play a central role in maintaining order, supporting local police forces, and paving the way for Gaza’s reconstruction. The move also highlights Washington’s reliance on politically and culturally diverse partners to lend legitimacy to its controversial 20-point plan for Gaza.

Muhammad Asif Noor, a political analyst and Director of the Center for Central Asia and Eurasian Studies at the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, spoke to Azernews about the emerging international stabilization force for Gaza. He noted that the involvement of countries like Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia could bring a combination of peacekeeping experience, regional legitimacy, and cultural understanding to the mission