Vice-Speaker Tsilosani: Bachiashvili accused of bitcoin embezzlement, seeks to discredit Ivanishvili

Georgian Vice-Speaker Nino Tsilosani on Monday said Giorgi Bachiashvili - the former head of Georgia’s Co-Investment Fund and an ally-turned-rival of billionaire founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili - had been found guilty in two court instances of embezzling Ivanishvili’s bitcoins, and accused him and his family of working to discredit Ivanishvili both domestically and internationally.

“Bachiashvili has been charged and found guilty in two court instances of embezzling bitcoins belonging to Ivanishvili. At the same time, he and his family are making every effort to discredit Ivanishvili through local and foreign media outlets,” Tsilosani stated in response to a letter released by Ivanishvili’s lawyer, which mentioned foreign journalists’ involvement in the case.

“In this case as well, the foreign journalists mentioned in the lawyer’s statement are deliberately discrediting Ivanishvili’s name internationally. Ivanishvili’s lawyer revealed that a well-known media representative had contacted him, demanding answers within unrealistic deadlines to absurd allegations - such as supposed sanctions against Ivanishvili or his alleged responsibility for worsening human rights”, she said.

“We know of many cases when foreign media acted in a biased manner, with clear political or financial motives. Here too, it is obvious that Bachiashvili and his family are behind this,” Tsilosani said.

She further claimed that, beyond spreading false information in the media, Bachiashvili had also financed radical and extremist rallies in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi.

“When a person is guilty of such a serious crime, the only thing left is to attempt to justify themselves through dishonourable actions like these,” Tsilosani concluded.