13 charged over fraudulent seizure of state-owned land in Georgia

Thirteen people have been charged in four separate criminal cases involving the alleged fraudulent acquisition of state-owned land, Georgia’s Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance has said.

The plots involved cover a combined area of more than 11,929 square metres and have a total estimated value exceeding GEL 1.02 million, according to the service.

In the first case, investigators established that one suspect allegedly used forged handover certificates to unlawfully acquire two state-owned plots in the village of Gldani, Tbilisi. The plots cover a total of 1,000 square metres and have an estimated market value of more than GEL 116,000.

Investigators also uncovered alleged cases of fraudulently acquiring state-owned land and assisting in fraud through the production and use of forged official documents by a group acting in prior agreement. The findings included evidence obtained through covert investigative measures.

In the second case, eight suspects allegedly used forged documents confirming ownership rights to register state-owned land in Gldani through Georgia’s National Agency of Public Registry. The two plots cover a total of 2,000 square metres and are valued at GEL 733,760. The land has since been fully sold, the service said.

In the third case, two people provided the Public Registry with deliberately false information to secure the fraudulent registration of two state-owned plots in the village of Nijgori, Aspindza municipality. The plots cover 1,840 square metres and have a combined value of GEL 12,912.

In the fourth case, suspects allegedly acquired state-owned land in a municipality in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region by submitting deliberately false information to the registration authority. The plots cover 7,089 square metres and have an estimated market value of GEL 163,047.

Investigators also prevented attempts to fraudulently acquire additional state-owned plots in the same region, covering 10,321 square metres and valued at GEL 150,660.

The Investigation Service said it was continuing to examine the legality of other land registrations and identify any additional individuals who may have been involved.

The charges carry prison sentences of between six and nine years, the service said.