The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has detained Koba Khundadze, a person connected to the former Head of the State Security Service, Grigol Liluashvili, on charges of legalizing an especially large amount of illegal income, Deputy Head of the Investigation Department Jarji Tsiklauri announced during a briefing at the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Investigation says during a search of Khundadze’s residence, 94 envelopes containing various amounts of money were seized, totaling 1,319,300 USD. Additionally, during investigative actions targeting bank safes belonging to Mikheil Chokheli, a person linked to former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze, and his family members, authorities confiscated 2,904,900 USD.
These searches were part of a broader criminal case launched a few days earlier, in which the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Service jointly carried out operations at the homes of several high-ranking former officials, including ex–Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former security chief Grigol Liluashvili, and former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze. Investigators seized large sums of money, documents, and electronic devices during those raids.
The investigation revealed that Khundadze had developed a multi-stage money laundering scheme to legitimize unsubstantiated assets. Using funds of unknown origin, he purchased land plots in Tbilisi and invested in several private companies and partnerships to disguise the illicit source of the money.
As a result, 30 real estate units were registered under Khundadze’s name and his enterprise, while 51 more properties were integrated into the capital of a construction company he founded. The investigation found that between 2017 and 2025, Khundadze laundered millions in unverified income.
The detainee has been formally charged and faces 9 to 12 years in prison if convicted. The Prosecutor’s Office will request pre-trial detention from the court.
Authorities say the joint investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office and the State Security Service is ongoing to uncover additional evidence and identify other individuals involved in the scheme.
Related story: SSSG: Origin of cash and devices seized from Garibashvili and associates under examination
