Georgia's State Security Service (SSS) Anti-Corruption Agency has arrested Giorgi Khaindrava, former Deputy Minister of Defense under Juansher Burchuladze, Vladimer Ghudushauri, former head of the Ministry's Procurement Department, and V.M., a close relative of Burchuladze, on charges of embezzling ₾1.3 million.
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"The ongoing investigation has so far revealed that the criminal group developed and implemented a plan that embezzled ₾1,333,728 from the Georgian state budget in 2023.
The members of the group, some of whom served as chairman and deputy chairman of the procurement commission, conducted the process for purchasing medical equipment without any real market research. Simultaneously, they ensured that only interconnected companies with close ties to V.M. participated in the procurement procedures for the medical equipment.
The procurement process was organized in a manner that artificially inflated the price of the medical equipment through fictitious transactions involving private companies and multiple resales of the equipment, facilitated by fake tax documents issued on the same day.
As a result, the Ministry of Defense acquired the medical inventory at a significantly higher price than its market value.
The investigation also established that V.M., the close relative of the then-Minister of Defense, promised guaranteed victories to pre-selected companies participating in the Ministry of Defense's procurement, citing his connections with relevant officials as a guarantee of success in the procurement.
As a result of these criminal activities, the state suffered damages of at least ₾1,333,728," the SSS states.
The investigation is being conducted under Articles 182, Part 2, Sub-paragraphs "a" and "d", and Part 3, Sub-paragraph "b" of the Criminal Code, which carry a penalty of 7 to 11 years imprisonment. The investigation continues with the aim of identifying and exposing other individuals involved.
Giorgi Khaindrava served as Deputy Minister of Defense from 2021 to 2024. Before that, he headed the Ministry of Defense's State Procurement Department from 2020 to 2021. He had been working at the Ministry of Defense since 2015.
On July 1, Levan Khabeishvili, a leader of the opposition United National Movement, claimed on TV Pirveli that Bidzina Ivanishvili was demanding money from Juansher Burchuladze.
"Juansher Burchuladze has an acute situation in this regard. He is also being asked for cash; there is talk of a specific amount of money that he stole and did not bring to Bidzina in the 'obshchiak' [a criminal fund]. Either Burchuladze will bring the cash now, or you should check on Juansher Burchuladze now. Ask the Prosecutor's Office if a case has been opened against him, if he has been questioned, and let's see what they officially answer," Khabeishvili stated.
He further claimed that there is an internal conflict within the Georgian Dream over money.
According to Khabeishvili, the former head of the State Security Service, Grigol Liluashvili, is being asked to return 100 million and was denied permission to leave the country for this reason. Tornike Rizhvadze, former chairman of the Adjara government, was allegedly asked to return 300 million.
On June 20, Romeo Mikautadze, former First Deputy Minister of Economy, was arrested on charges of corruption and receiving particularly large amounts of income.
