The Prosecutor General’s Office [PoG] said it had detained 3 persons for misappropriation of large sums of money through fraud and engagement in money laundering.

Coming as part of an investigation ongoing since 2022 under the agency in collaboration with the State Security Service of Georgia, the development concerns individuals who the PoG said had fraudulently extorted USD 2,460,000 from a crime organiser whose assets had been seized by authorities in 2021-2022.

Posing as representatives of high-ranking officials, the suspects promised the victim protection for criminal activities and favourable legal outcomes in the case.

To obscure the origin of the funds illicitly obtained from their target, the individuals allegedly laundered the money by acquiring high-value real estate and assets in the names of family members and associates.

Several properties and bank account funds linked to the defendants have since been seized by the authorities.

The Tbilisi City Court has charged the suspects with fraud and money laundering, which are punishable by 9 to 12 years of imprisonment.