Month: July 2026

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on July 27 that it arrested a former employee of a law enforcement agency who allegedly used the names of SSSG chief Geka Geladze and Georgian Dream honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s son, Tsotne Ivanishvili, to obtain GEL 11,300 (approximately USD 4,500) from the family members of two defendants held in prison.

According to the SSSG, the suspect deceived the family members by promising that the two defendants would be released from prison and later enter into plea agreements, using Geladze’s and Ivanishvili’s names in the process. The agency did not disclose the suspect’s name, the identities of the two defendants whose release he allegedly promised, or the law enforcement agency where the individual worked.

The investigation is underway under Article 180 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers fraud involving large amounts of money and carries a prison sentence of six to nine years.

Also Read:

• 22/05/2026 – State Security Service Arrests Former Deputy Chief Levan Akhobadze on Bribery Allegations
• 25/04/2026 – Former Employee Arrested on Accusations of ‘Taking Out Classified Information’ From SSSG

Inter RAO, one of Russia’s largest state-controlled energy companies and the indirect owner of several major power assets in Georgia, was included in the European Union’s latest sanctions list against Moscow.

The EU said Inter RAO was sanctioned because it provides financial support to the Russian government through its revenues, taxes and dividends. It cited the company’s importance in Russia’s energy sector and its state ownership.

In Georgia, Inter RAO controls its assets through two Netherlands-registered subsidiaries — Silk Road Holdings B.V. and Gardabani Holdings B.V.

Silk Road Holdings owns a 75.47% stake in the Telasi Group, according to corporate information cited by local Business Media Georgia (bm.ge). The group includes electricity distributor Telasi and supplier Telmiko, serving consumers in Tbilisi.

Through Gardabani Holdings B.V., Inter RAO owns the Khramhesi I and Khramhesi II hydropower plants. In 2020, they were responsible for 3.6% of the generated electricity in Georgia.

Inter RAO has also been involved in an investment dispute with the Georgian government. In 2023, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ordered Georgia to pay about USD 76 million, plus interest, to Inter RAO subsidiaries Silk Road Holdings and Gardabani over changes to the country’s electricity tariff methodology introduced in 2014. The arbitration proceedings were initiated in 2017.

The EU’s 21st Russia sanctions package also included other measures affecting Georgia. It conditionally included the Kulevi oil refinery on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, with a transaction ban set to take effect in six months unless the decision is reassessed, and sanctioned three Georgia-based cryptocurrency service platforms. The sanctions list also included the operator of the Russian money transfer system Zolotaya Korona, which suspended transfers to Georgia following the sanctions.

Also Read:

• 24/07/2026 – MFA ‘Regrets’ EU Decision to Conditionally Include Kulevi Refinery in Russia Sanctions Package, ‘Hopes’ for Review
• 24/07/2026 – National Bank Says EU-Sanctioned Georgia-Based Crypto Firms Not Under Its Regulation

Georgia‘s Prosecutor’s Office has brought criminal charges against four foreign nationals and five companies in connection with a transnational organised crime and large-scale money laundering case involving 21.5 million lari (about $7.8m).

According to prosecutors, the suspects carried out criminal activities in several countries before transferring the illicit proceeds to Georgia in an attempt to conceal their origin and legalise the funds.

Fraudulent call centre industry in Georgia: power, money and selective justice

Why has the Georgian government been unable to solve this problem for years?

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects established companies in Georgia without any intention of carrying out genuine business activities. Using forged documents and fictitious payment descriptions, they gradually transferred funds of illicit and unexplained origin from abroad into Georgian bank accounts. The total amount, held in various currencies, was equivalent to 21.5 million lari.

Prosecutors said that part of the money was later transferred abroad using forged documentation and fictitious payment descriptions, while the bulk of the allegedly illicit assets has been frozen as part of the investigation.

The defendants have been charged with laundering criminal proceeds on an especially large scale. The offence carries a prison sentence of between nine and 12 years for individuals, while companies found guilty may face liquidation, a ban on conducting business activities or a fine.

Money laundering case in Georgia: opposition looks for a Russian connection

Georgia’s prosecutor’s office has announced the arrest of a man accused of laundering 624 million dollars and 35 million euros between 2022 and 2024

The Prosecutor’s Office said it would ask the court, within the timeframe set by law, to place the defendants in pre-trial detention. If the court grants the request, the suspects will be placed on a wanted list.

According to prosecutors, the investigation has so far resulted in the seizure of foreign currency worth around 14 million lari (about $5.1m) and real estate valued at more than 1 million lari (about $363,000).

The Prosecutor’s Office said it would initiate the necessary legal procedures to confiscate the seized assets in favour of the state.

money laundering in Georgia