Former Georgian Defense Minister Sues BBC

Former Georgian Defense Minister Kezerashvili has filed a lawsuit against the British BBC, according to reports from Sputnik Georgia.

The reason for the lawsuit is an investigation by journalists alleging that Kezerashvili is behind a fraudulent scheme to steal money from European pensioners through call centers.

“The claims in the BBC story are absolutely false. It was very irresponsible for the BBC to broadcast this material,” he stated.

Kezerashvili served as Georgia's Minister of Defense from 2006 to 2008. In 2012, he left the country and has been living in Great Britain. The Supreme Court of Georgia has sentenced him in absentia to five years in prison for embezzling 5 million euros.

Georgian media and authorities claim that Kezerashvili spent the stolen funds to support opposition forces, including Saakashvili’s United National Movement, as well as to finance independent journalists and NGOs in Georgia.