Former Head of Georgia`s State Security Service [SSSG] Grigol Liluashvili has been arrested, Prosecutor General Giorgi Gvarakidze made the relevant statement during a briefing at the Georgian Prosecutor`s Office.

"As a result of joint operational and investigative efforts conducted by the Prosecutor General`s Office of Georgia and the SSSG, the former head of the SSSG, G. Liluashvili, has been arrested. He is currently under investigation for bribery in several criminal cases.

First episode: In October 2022, Liluashvili allegedly received a $1 million bribe from Turkish investor Çağatay Ülker through then First Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Romeo Mikautadze. In exchange, Liluashvili was to lobby for the signing of a memorandum of cooperation related to the construction of wind power plants.

Second episode: In February 2022, again through Romeo Mikautadze, he demanded and extorted one million five hundred thousand Georgian lari from Giorgi Khazhalia, founder of the company `Expressservice 2008`, in exchange for assistance with gasification tenders.

Third episode: The investigation covers the period from 2021 to 2023, when dozens of fraudulent call centers continued operating in Georgia despite the state`s declared legal fight against them.

According to witness testimony, most of these call centers were owned by a group of individuals who financed various opposition media outlets with the proceeds. A smaller portion of the call centers was allegedly protected by Liluashvili, who, according to the prosecution, operated through his relative, Sandro Liluashvili. As a result of this criminal activity, G. Liluashvili allegedly received approximately $1,365,000 in bribes through Sandro Liluashvili.

The Prosecutor General`s Office stated that the investigation is also actively examining a version according to which Liluashvili and his alleged accomplices ensured that the existence of fraudulent call centers financing opposition media was not exposed, while opposition media outlets, despite having information, did not report on the call centers allegedly operating under Liluashvili`s protection.

Fourth episode: G. Liluashvili, exploiting his official position, protected his friend, Kakha Gvantseladze, the former director of Tbilisi City Hall`s Nursery Management Agency, in exchange for bribes, who received exceptionally large sums of money in the form of bribes, so-called kickbacks, from business entities in the execution of procurement contracts for nurseries.

In the aforementioned criminal scheme involving Liluashvili and Gvantseladze, Kakha Gvantseladze involved employees from the agency`s financial accounting and settlement division, as well as monitoring staff. Resolutions have been issued to hold all of them accountable as defendants in criminal proceedings.

Hundreds of investigative actions have been conducted in the criminal case, including interrogation with witnesses whose testimony confirms the commission of crimes by G. Liluashvili and others. Various pieces of evidence substantiating the crimes have also been obtained, including video and audio recordings.

G. Liluashvili is charged under Article 338, Part 2, Subparagraph `g` and Part 3, Subparagraph `e` of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to bribery by a group acting with prior agreement and on an exceptionally large scale, carrying a sentence of 11 to 15 years` imprisonment.

The prosecution will apply to the court within the statutory period with a motion to impose remand in custody as a preventive measure for the accused. The investigation continues with the aim of uncovering other crimes committed by G. Liluashvili and identifying and arresting individuals allegedly involved in the crimes alongside him. We, Georgian law enforcement officers, continue the fight against corruption to reduce it to a historic minimum and maximize prevention", - said Giorgi Gvarakidze.