Former Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili Charged

Irakli Gharibashvili, who has served twice as Prime Minister during the tenure of the "Georgian Dream" party and is considered one of the closest and most loyal associates of billionaire and ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been charged with the legalization of particularly large illegal incomes, reports BBC.

The Chief Prosecutor of Georgia, Giorgi Gvarakidze, announced during a briefing that Gharibashvili has been charged under Article 194 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which pertains to money laundering and the acquisition of illegal incomes of particularly large amounts.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, Gharibashvili, who held the positions of Minister of Defense and Prime Minister from 2019 to 2024, was prohibited by Georgian legislation from engaging in entrepreneurial activities or receiving compensation, aside from his official salary. Despite this, he allegedly conducted business secretly and received illegal incomes of particularly large amounts, the authorities added.

The Prosecutor's Office stated that Gharibashvili has fully admitted his guilt. They will submit a request to the court for a preventive measure, proposing a bail of 1 million lari (approximately 368,000 USD), which can be secured either in cash or with real estate.

Additionally, the Prosecutor's Office intends to request the surrender of Gharibashvili's passport and a ban on his leaving the country.