Former State Security Chief Grigol Liluashvili Arrested on Large-Scale Bribery Charges
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Former head of Georgia's State Security Service, Grigol Liluashvili, was arrested on December 23 on charges of accepting large-scale bribes, with prosecutors alleging his involvement in several corruption schemes spanning multiple years. If convicted, Liluashvili faces a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years.
The arrest was announced by Prosecutor General Giorgi Gvarakidze during a press briefing, marking a major development in an ongoing investigation targeting former high-ranking officials. The case is part of a broader series of prosecutions involving figures previously associated with the ruling Georgian Dream party.
According to Gvarakidze, Liluashvili is charged under Article 338 of the Criminal Code, which covers bribery committed by an organized group and on a particularly large scale. Prosecutors allege that the former security chief used intermediaries and relatives to receive illicit payments in exchange for political and institutional protection.
One of the alleged episodes dates back to October 2022. Prosecutors claim that Liluashvili received one million US dollars from Turkish investor Cagatay Ulker. The payment was allegedly facilitated by then-Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze, who is currently in custody on separate corruption charges.
"The purpose of the payment was to secure lobbying support for the signing of a memorandum of cooperation related to the construction of wind power plants," Gvarakidze said.
Another alleged incident occurred earlier, in February 2022. According to the prosecution, Liluashvili, again through Mikautadze, demanded and received 1.5 million lari from businessman Giorgi Khazhalia, the founder of Expressservice 2008. In exchange, prosecutors say Liluashvili offered assistance in securing favorable outcomes in gasification tenders.
A third set of allegations centers on Georgia's notorious scam call centers, which have been under international scrutiny for years. Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and 2023, Liluashvili provided protection to some of these operations through a relative, Sandro Liluashvili.
"A portion of the fraudulent call centers was primarily protected by Grigol Liluashvili," Gvarakidze said. "As a result of this criminal activity, he received approximately 1,365,000 US dollars through intermediaries."
The prosecutor general also alleged that proceeds from the scam operations were used to finance certain opposition-aligned media outlets. According to the investigation, the alleged arrangement ensured that information about the call centers would not be publicly exposed.
"The existence of fraudulent call centers financing media outlets was deliberately concealed," Gvarakidze said, adding that in return, coverage of the alleged schemes was avoided despite prior knowledge.
Liluashvili has previously denied any links to the scam call centers. In 2022, he sued Formula TV and Mtavari Channel over their reporting on the issue and won the case, with the court ruling that the outlets had defamed him.
The fourth alleged scheme involves claims that Liluashvili abused his authority to protect a close associate, Kakhaber Gvantseladze, the former head of Tbilisi City Hall's preschool management agency. Prosecutors allege that Gvantseladze received kickbacks from companies tied to procurement contracts for kindergartens, with Liluashvili providing cover in exchange for bribes.
"By abusing his official position and receiving illegal benefits, Grigol Liluashvili provided protection to his friend," Gvarakidze said.
Prosecutors added that several employees of the preschool agency have also been charged in connection with the scheme.
Liluashvili led the State Security Service from 2019 until his resignation in April 2025. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities say additional charges or arrests are possible as the case develops.
