The State Security Service arrested 3 people on charges of large-scale fraud by the group by prior agreement.

“During the pandemic, to receive fraudulent GEL 200 social assistance defined by the resolution of the Government, the individual entrepreneur (IE)and his associates organized the mobilization of several dozen people and the preparation of forged documents proving their employment with the IE in January-February 2020.

The personal data of the mentioned people were submitted to the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance. They fraudulently misappropriated GEL 10 200 belonging to the state by using forged documents.

At the same time, in order to receive material benefits, they received GEL 100 from the GEL 200 assistance. It is established that the mentioned persons were not actually employed by the IE and therefore did not represent the circle of assistants defined by the decree of the Government”, - reads the statement of the SSS.

Lawyer of one of the detainees Diana Martiashvili says that her client Tamaz Shoshitashvili denies the allegation and links his arrest to political persecution as Shoshitashvili is chairman of the Saburtalo youth wing of the United National Movement.