Friday, December 5, 2025

Crime

Georgia charges suspect’s parents in massive bitcoin laundering case

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TBILISI, September 30 – Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has launched criminal proceedings against the parents of Giorgi Bachiashvili, a man already convicted in a high-profile cryptocurrency fraud case. Prosecutors say that between 2015 and 2017, Bachiashvili misappropriated nearly 9 bitcoins (8,986.8675 BTC) that legally belonged to billionaire and ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili; an amount corresponding … Read more

Chemical attack on woman in central Georgia sparks outrage

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TBILISI, September 25 – A brutal chemical attack in the town of Kaspi has left a young woman hospitalized after her former husband allegedly threw a corrosive substance in her face. The assault happened in the Miriani district of Kaspi, central Georgia. According to locals, the man had previously been issued a restraining order but … Read more

Georgia arrests five for USD 1.5m road project fraud

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TBILISI, September 24 – Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) says it has busted a multimillion-lari fraud scheme tied to a major infrastructure project, arresting five people and charging another who remains on the run. According to the agency, the case involves fraudulent appropriation of 4,184,249 lari (around USD 1.5 million) belonging to the Ministry of … Read more

Defense challenges police evidence in Tbilisi contract killing case

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TBILISI, September 24 – The high-profile trial over the killing of Georgian businessman Levan Jangveladze and the attempted murder of his driver, Gia Chaduneli, took another turn Tuesday as defense lawyers challenged the reliability of evidence presented in court. At the hearing in Tbilisi, an expert witness who had reviewed security camera footage from the … Read more

Murder trial of Georgian businessman continues with new witnesses

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TBILISI, September 22 – The high-profile trial over the killing of Georgian businessman Levan Jangveladze and the attempted murder of his driver is underway at Tbilisi City Court, where 14 witnesses are set to testify. Those scheduled to appear include a medical expert, a taxi driver, eyewitnesses, and employees of the Tbilisi Towers hotel. Court … Read more

Police bust property fraud ring in Batumi

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TBILISI, September 21 – Police in Georgia’s Black Sea region of Adjara have arrested four people accused of running an organized fraud scheme that tricked citizens out of nearly half a million lari. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the group targeted people in Batumi interested in securing loans with property as collateral. Investigators … Read more

Georgia charges five over massive illegal cannabis farm

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TBILISI, September 18 – Prosecutors in Georgia say five people have been charged with running a large-scale illegal cannabis operation in the eastern wine region of Kakheti. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, investigators from the Ministry of Internal Affairs uncovered 1,337 cannabis plants in the village of Vakiri, part of Sighnaghi municipality. The plants weighed … Read more

Defendant denies involvement in Georgia alcohol smuggling case

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TBILISI, September 18 – A defendant in Georgia’s high-profile illegal alcohol case has rejected the charges, with his lawyer insisting he has no connection to the factory or property at the center of the investigation. The attorney told Interpressnews that the allegations are based on “incorrect information” and that his client runs a legitimate business … Read more

Georgia busts bootleg alcohol and cigarette ring

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TBILISI, September 17 – Seven people have been arrested in Georgia after investigators uncovered an underground factory churning out counterfeit booze and untaxed cigarettes, authorities said. The Finance Ministry’s investigative service announced that officers seized a staggering 75,137 bottles of alcohol and 318,000 packs of contraband cigarettes in the raid. Officials said the haul’s black-market … Read more

Record USD 624 million money laundering scheme exposed in Georgia

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TBILISI, September 16 – Georgia’s prosecutors say they have uncovered the country’s biggest-ever money laundering case, involving more than USD 624 million and EUR 35 million allegedly funneled through illegal cash smuggling and fake currency exchange operations between 2022 and 2024. One suspect has been arrested, though officials have not named the individual. The Prosecutor’s … Read more