Overview
- Tbilisi City Court granted prosecutors’ request for 1 million lari bail (about $370,000), seized Irakli Garibashvili’s foreign passport, and imposed a travel ban, with the former prime minister present at the hearing.
- The indictment alleges he secretly engaged in business while in office, declared fictitious family “gifts” to legitimize 830,000 lari, bought cars via an associate, and funneled 3,670,172 lari through a family-linked company after converting funds to foreign currency.
- Prosecutors say Garibashvili admitted guilt during questioning, and reports earlier noted a full confession following searches on October 17.
- Law-enforcement agencies report multimillion-dollar seizures from searches of former officials’ residences, including more than $7 million initially, a further sum exceeding $4 million, 198 luxury items and watches, artworks, and dozens of devices.
- Media reports cited about $6.5 million taken from Garibashvili’s apartment on October 17, and searches also targeted ex–security chief Grigol Liluashvili, former prosecutor general Otar Partskhaladze, and several associates.