Former security officer arrested in Georgia over alleged fraud using officials' names

Georgia's State Security Service has arrested a former law enforcement officer on suspicion of defrauding the relatives of two detainees by falsely claiming he could secure their release through senior officials, the agency said on Monday.

The GSSS Anti-Corruption Agency said the suspect used the names of State Security Service chief Geka Geladze and Tsotne Ivanishvili, the son of ruling party honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, to convince the families that he could arrange the detainees' release from prison and subsequent plea agreements.

According to investigators, the suspect obtained a total of 11,300 lari (about $4,200) from the families on multiple occasions in exchange for the alleged promises.

The crime carries a prison sentence of between six and nine years upon conviction, the State Security Service said.