Former Deputy Head of Georgian State Security Service arrested on major bribery charges
Emzar Gagnidze
Photo: Screenshot from Video
The anti-corruption agency of Georgia’s state security service has arrested Levan Akhobadze, the former deputy head of the state security service, on charges of accepting an exceptionally large bribe.
Emzar Gagnidze, the director of the anti-corruption agency, noted that the incident traces back to April 2024, when Akhobadze was serving as deputy to the then-head of the service Grigol Liluashvili.
“In April 2024, Akhobadze became aware that a private entrepreneur had had an undeclared sum of 40 million Russian rubles [approximately $440,000] seized at the Lars customs checkpoint on the Georgia-Russia border. Under Georgian law, the illegal transfer of cash exceeding 100,000 GEL across the customs border is punishable by a fine of 10% of the amount or confiscation of the funds”, Gagnidze said.
The director further added that the entrepreneur had appealed to the relevant unit of the revenue service under the ministry of finance through legal procedures but was refused the return of the funds. Following this, the former deputy head of the state security service contacted the businessman through intermediaries and promised assistance in retrieving the seized money.
“After negotiations, the entrepreneur paid the legally required 10% fine and recovered the seized funds on 30 April 2024 at the Lars checkpoint. Shortly afterwards, Akhobadze requested a bribe of 500,000 GEL ($190,000) in exchange for his assistance. According to testimony cited in the investigation, the amount was later reduced to 250,000 ($94,000) following the intervention of then-security service head Grigol Liluashvili. The money was subsequently handed over to intermediaries and transferred to Akhobadze within days of the return of the seized funds”, Gagnidze said.
Investigators established that the bribe money was delivered directly to the then-deputy head of the state security service inside his personal office on that very same day.
The case is being investigated under Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to bribery on an exceptionally large scale. If convicted, Akhobadze faces a prison sentence ranging from 11 to 15 years.
All News
22 May 2026, 16:54
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: Georgia sees no place in an EU that is European “in name only”
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said Georgia does not see its future in a European Union that is European “only in name”, urging the bloc to prove it remains attractive to Georgia by staying loyal to its core values.
22 May 2026, 16:43
Politics
Georgian Parliament official claims European values turned into tool of political pressure and speculation
European and democratic values have turned into tools for political blackmail and speculation, said on Friday Irakli Kadagishvili, the chair of the Georgian Parliament’s regional policy and self-government committee.
22 May 2026, 14:47
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker warns against “choice” between EU future and territorial integrity
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday claimed that external forces are seeking to condition Georgia’s European Union integration on the surrender of its occupied territories and national sovereignty, arguing that an effort is underway to pressure the public into viewing Georgia’s regions as a “burden” that must be discarded to clear the path toward the EU.
22 May 2026, 14:10
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: external forces must accept Georgia has national Government acting in national interests
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said that the country’s sole benchmark in international relations is its national interests, asserting that Georgia communicates on these terms with all international partners, including the United States and the European Union.
22 May 2026, 13:54
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker: if Ukrainian Government decides that it wants friendly relations with Georgia, we will welcome it
Georgia bears zero responsibility for the strained relations between Tbilisi and Kyiv, and the next steps toward restoration depend entirely on the Ukrainian government's willingness to draw the right conclusions, said on Friday Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili.
22 May 2026, 13:36
Foreign policy
Armenia-Georgia ties of strategic, long-term, fraternal nature, says Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan
The relations between Armenia and Georgia are strategic, long-term, historical, and fraternal, and they will remain so, said on Friday Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan during a press conference with Armenian journalists.
22 May 2026, 12:52
Foreign policy
Georgian Parliament Speaker accuses German Ambassador Peter Fischer of mocking Donald Trump and Liz Truss in “deep state remarks”
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday criticised Peter Fischer, the German ambassador to the country, accusing him of arrogance, disrespect, and severely damaging the three-decade-long friendship between Tbilisi and Berlin.
22 May 2026, 12:36
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker says current EU foreign policy harms Europe above all
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday criticised the European Union's current foreign policy direction, stating that it not only harms others but ultimately damages the EU itself.
22 May 2026, 12:28
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker says “crocodile tears cannot hide the truth” in response to German Ambassador
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday criticised the German ambassador Peter Fischer’s recent remarks, saying that “there is a simple way out of such an unpleasant situation - do not lie and do not support violence”.
21 May 2026, 21:44
Foreign policy
German Ambassador: importance of Middle Corridor should not be exaggerated
Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to Georgia, said the importance of the Middle Corridor should not be exaggerated and that Germany will not ignore human rights violations in Georgia because of the transit route.
21 May 2026, 21:41
Politics
Georgian Parliament official rejects any trade-off between EU membership and territorial integrity
Davit Matikashvili, the chair of the committee on procedural issues and rules of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said that Georgia would “never choose” a path that would require the country to give up its territories or independence in exchange for opening the door to membership in the European Union.
21 May 2026, 17:42
Society
Davit Narmania: Aqualia’s strategic vision and long-term approach provide solid foundation for significant improvement of water supply services in Tbilisi, Rustavi, and Mtskheta
Davit Narmania, the Chair of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, participated in the Global Water Summit 2026, held in Madrid between May 18 and 20, at the invitation of the leading international water company Aqualia.
21 May 2026, 16:06
Politics
Georgian Parliament official says tensions among domestic radical groups rising ahead of Independence Day
Rati Ionatamishvili, the chair of the human rights and civil integration committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said that tensions among “radical groups” are likely to intensify as Georgia approaches Independence Day on 26 May.
21 May 2026, 15:31
Politics
Georgia and Montenegro top EU candidate countries in rule of law assessment, Resilio Access Study finds
The Institute for European Politics hosted an online meeting on May 13 to present the results of its RESILIO-ACCESS Monitor, an innovative analytical tool designed to assess rule of law resilience and adaptation in European Union candidate countries.
21 May 2026, 13:44
Foreign policy
Georgian PM, Kazakh Interior Minister discuss prospects for deepening political, economic relations
Relations between Georgia and Kazakhstan were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Kazakh interior minister Erjan Sädenov.
21 May 2026, 13:44
Politics
Georgian Parliament Speaker rejects German Ambassador’s remarks on EU path
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday sharply criticised remarks made by Peter Fischer, the German ambassador to the country, regarding Georgia’s European integration path, stating that the country does not intend to follow the same route toward the European Union as Ukraine or Moldova.
21 May 2026, 12:36
Politics
International Crisis Group: both US and Europe immediately sought to enlist Georgia in resistance to Russian invasion
Four years on, the war in Ukraine continues to dominate the strategic thinking of Georgia’s government. News of Russia’s initial onslaught jolted the country, which suffered its own Russian invasion in 2008, and caused the government to fear that Georgia might be the next target, according to a newly released report by the International Crisis Group.
21 May 2026, 12:16
Foreign policy
International Crisis Group: EU should recognise that the fear of war in Georgia is genuine, not feigned or oversold
A shift in the European Union’s rhetoric - moving away from public criticism of the ruling Georgian Dream party toward incentivising specific reforms - would create a significantly better environment for dialogue, according to a newly published report by the independent international organisation, the International Crisis Group.
21 May 2026, 11:12
Politics
Georgian Prime Minister expresses hope for “reset” in relations with Ukraine
Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday expressed his hope for a “reset” in relations between Georgia and Ukraine, emphasising the deep-rooted friendship and solidarity between the two nations despite recent diplomatic strains.