Georgia’s wanted ex-Defence Minister Kezerashvili claims BBC had to remove fraud allegations after legal dispute

Georgia’s currently wanted former Defence Minister, David Kezerashvili, on Monday announced that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had been forced to remove all of its investigative stories, articles, and related materials after a legal dispute.

According to Kezerashvili, the BBC’s investigation, which alleged his involvement in an international fraud scheme, was based on a smear campaign aimed at damaging his business reputation.

Kezerashvili’s legal battle with the BBC spanned nearly two years and resulted in a ruling. The former minister argued that the allegations made against him were defamatory and untrue. As part of the settlement, the BBC undertook not to repeat any defamatory claims about Kezerashvili on its platforms in the future. Additionally, the broadcaster agreed to reimburse him for all legal costs related to the lawsuit, Kezerashvili claimed in his social media post.

He also said legal proceedings, including reports from legal and consulting companies,had demonstrated that the accusations against him—specifically that he may have benefited from illegal activities—were “entirely false”. He also pointed out that the Georgian government had been involved in a subsequent campaign to mislead both Georgian society and the international community.

The allegations against Kezerashvili had originated from a BBC investigation into a fraudulent “call center” scheme in 2023, which was said to involve him in a global scam targeting individuals with fraudulent investment opportunities.