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3mo ago

Former Ivanishvili Aide Detained at Georgia’s Southern Border Facing 11-Year Sentence

His arrest follows a deportation from Dubai on politically charged embezzlement convictions stemming from a fallout with billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Founder of the Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili speaks after the announcement of exit poll results in parliamentary elections, at the Georgian Dream party headquarters in Tbilisi, Georgia October 26, 2024. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo
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Overview

  • Bachiashvili was arrested near the southern border on May 26 after an anonymous tip-off and deportation from Dubai by Georgian authorities.
  • He was sentenced in absentia to 11 years for allegedly embezzling over $800 million in cryptocurrency from Ivanishvili’s Cartu Bank investment fund.
  • The former aide denies wrongdoing and alleges the charges are reprisals for breaking with Ivanishvili and publicly supporting Ukraine.
  • His lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, warns that he faces a real risk of torture in custody following what he calls a forcible return.
  • Transparency International’s Georgian branch has questioned the evidence, suggesting the case serves Ivanishvili’s financial interests.