Georgian authorities have detained Grigol Liluashvili, the former chief of the state security service, on various bribery charges. He is accused of accepting over a million dollars to protect international scam call centers from law enforcement.
The former head of Georgia's state security service, Grigol Liluashvili, was arrested this week following questioning by the Prosecutor’s Office. Liluashvili, who led the agency from 2020 until early this year, told reporters prior to his detention that he was unaware of the specific allegations against him. When asked if he anticipated his arrest, he remarked that the outcome was in the hands of God.
The prosecution alleges that Liluashvili accepted approximately 1.4 million dollars in bribes to shield fraudulent call centers from government interference. Investigators claim these payments were routed through his relative, Sandro Liluashvili, who acted as an intermediary. While the Georgian government has publicly campaigned against these illegal operations, prosecutors suggest that dozens continued to function under the former security chief's protection.
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The investigation into these scam operations has revealed complex ties between criminal activity and political influence. Witness testimony suggests that while some call centers were linked to groups financing opposition media, others were protected directly by Liluashvili’s associates. Prosecutors are also looking into claims that certain media outlets intentionally ignored the existence of these centers despite having evidence of their operations.
Public scrutiny of the security service intensified earlier this year after investigative journalists discovered a major call center operating in Tbilisi, very close to the agency’s headquarters. That specific operation reportedly defrauded over 6,000 victims globally, generating tens of millions of dollars in illicit revenue. Following that report, authorities began freezing assets and conducting raids on the homes of several former high-ranking government officials.
Liluashvili now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years if he is convicted of the bribery and corruption charges. His arrest follows the prior detention of his cousin on fraud and money-laundering charges. Although the investigation is ongoing, prosecutors have not yet named the specific fraudulent entities that were allegedly under the former official’s protection.
Source: Georgia Arrests Former Spy Chief Over Alleged Protection Of Scam Call Centers In Bribery Case