Koba Khundadze, an associate of former State Security Service (SSSG) chief Grigol Liluashvili, has been arrested on charges of money laundering on a particularly large scale.

At a briefing held at the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutor Jarji Tsiklauri announced that Koba Khundadze has been charged with money laundering on a particularly large scale, which carries a sentence of 9 to 12 years’ imprisonment.

“Several days ago, within the framework of a joint operation by the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG), searches were conducted of the residential flats and houses of Georgia’s former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili, former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze and persons associated with them, during which various electronic devices, documentation and large sums of cash were seized.

In recent days, as part of the same criminal investigation, searches were also carried out at eleven premises. During a search of Koba Khundadze’s residence, an associate of former State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili, a total of USD 1,319,300 in cash was seized, organised into ninety-four envelopes containing varying amounts.

Meanwhile, during investigative proceedings concerning bank safe deposit boxes belonging to an associate of former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, namely, one of the case’s defendants, Mikheil Chokheli, and his family member, USD 2,904,900 was confiscated.

In this case, Koba Khundadze, an associate of Grigol Liluashvili involved in the criminal proceedings, has been arrested on charges of money laundering on a particularly large scale.

The investigation has established that the accused developed a multi-stage criminal scheme to lend a lawful appearance to unjustified assets on a particularly large scale. Within the framework of implementing this scheme, he purchased land plots in Tbilisi with funds of unjustified origin and invested assets in the authorised capital of his personal company and partnerships established with his participation. Through these actions, unjustified assets were incorporated into legitimate economic activity, and through multiple transactions relating to immovable property, he concealed and disguised the true nature, source of origin and ownership rights of the unjustified assets.

As a result, thirty units of immovable property, allegedly acquired through activities conducted with lawful income, were registered in the name of the accused and his enterprise. Additionally, fifty-one units of immovable property were contributed to the authorised capital of a construction company founded by the accused.

Furthermore, as previously mentioned, during the search of his residential flat, a substantial sum of cash amounting to USD 1,319,300 was seized.

Through these actions, the accused, Koba Khundadze, engaged in money laundering of illicit income on an exceptionally large scale between 2017 and 2025.

The detainee has been charged with money laundering on a particularly serious scale, which carries a penalty of nine to twelve years’ imprisonment,” prosecutor Jarji Tsiklauri has stated.

The Prosecutor’s Office will submit a request to the court within the legally specified timeframe for the imposition of a preventive detention order on the accused.

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office and State Security Service are actively continuing their investigation to gather crucial evidence for the case, as well as identifying other individuals involved in the crime and carrying out the appropriate legal procedures, the Prosecutor’s Office stated.