Georgia’s former Head of the State Security Service, Grigol Liluashvili, has been arrested following an investigation into alleged corruption, bribery, and abuse of power. The Grigol Liluashvili arrest was carried out as part of joint operational and investigative actions by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia and the State Security Service.
Liluashvili, who led the country’s security agency from 2019 until April 2025, is accused of accepting bribes in several criminal cases. Prosecutors say the alleged crimes span multiple years and involve both financial corruption and the protection of illegal activities.
Alleged Bribery Linked to Energy and Gas Projects
According to the investigation, the first bribery episode dates back to October 2022. Prosecutors allege that Liluashvili received $1 million from Turkish investor Çağatay Ülker. The payment was reportedly transferred through Romeo Mikautadze, who at the time served as First Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development. In return, Liluashvili is accused of lobbying for the signing of a memorandum of understanding related to the construction of wind power plants.
The second episode occurred in February 2022, again involving Mikautadze as an intermediary. Prosecutors claim that Liluashvili demanded and extorted 1.5 million GEL from Giorgi Khazhalia, founder of the company Express Service 2008, in exchange for assistance in gasification tenders.
Protection of Fraudulent Call Centers
A major part of the case focuses on the period between 2021 and 2023, when Georgia was officially battling illegal scam call centers. Despite this effort, prosecutors say dozens of fraudulent call centers continued to operate in the country.
Based on witness testimony, investigators claim that most of these call centers were controlled by individuals who used their profits to finance opposition-aligned media outlets. Prosecutors further allege that a smaller group of call centers was protected by Liluashvili, who carried out this activity through his cousin, Sandro Liluashvili.
Through this scheme, Liluashvili is accused of receiving approximately $1.365 million in bribes. Sandro Liluashvili has already been arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering.
Authorities are also investigating whether Liluashvili and his accomplices deliberately concealed the existence of these call centers. Prosecutors claim that, in exchange, certain opposition media outlets allegedly refrained from reporting on scam operations under his protection, despite having information about them.
Kindergarten Procurement Scheme
The fourth episode involves alleged corruption within the Tbilisi City Hall Kindergarten Management Agency. Prosecutors say Liluashvili used his position to protect his friend, Kakha Gvantseladze, the agency’s former director, who is accused of receiving large-scale kickbacks from businesses involved in kindergarten procurement contracts.
According to investigators, several agency employees involved in financial accounting, calculations, and monitoring were also part of the scheme. Criminal charges have been brought against all of them.
Prosecutors say hundreds of investigative actions have been carried out, including witness interrogations, video and audio recordings, and the seizure of other evidence supporting the charges.
Liluashvili has been charged under Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which covers taking bribes in a particularly large amount by a group acting by prior agreement. The charge carries a sentence of 11 to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors plan to request pretrial detention as a preventive measure.
Ongoing Investigation Against Grigol Liluashvili
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to identify additional crimes and other individuals involved. Georgian law enforcement officials say the case is part of a broader effort to combat corruption and reduce it “to a historical minimum.”
The Grigol Liluashvili arrest follows earlier reporting on scam call centers in Tbilisi, including the Scam Empire investigation, which revealed a large call center operating near the State Security Service headquarters and defrauding thousands of victims worldwide. While assets in that case were frozen and arrests made, prosecutors have not yet specified which call centers Liluashvili is accused of protecting.
This is not the first time Grigol Liluashvili has faced such allegations. In 2022, he denied similar claims and filed defamation lawsuits against several opposition television channels.
