Four arrested in eastern Georgia for extorting $10,000 from local businessman

Police in the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti have arrested four individuals on charges of group extortion involving threats to kill a resident of the village of Kabali in the Lagodekhi municipality.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs on Sunday said the suspects are accused of extorting a large sum of money from a man engaged in small-scale business activities.

Investigators said the suspects contacted the victim in the name of a criminal figure residing abroad and threatened him with death unless he paid $10,000.

Following operational measures and investigative actions, law enforcement officers detained all four as defendants in the case. Police also seized the allegedly extorted money and mobile phones as evidence.

The crime is punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment.