Three charged in state land fraud case in Georgia

Georgia’s Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance has launched criminal proceedings against three individuals accused of fraudulently acquiring state-owned land worth nearly half a million lari using forged documents.

The agency said on Tuesday the investigation had revealed that during 2020-2021, the suspects illegally registered ownership of three plots of land in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region using falsified official documents. The total area of the misappropriated land amounted to 8,041 square metres, with an estimated value of 496,000 GEL.

Authorities said the land was seized during the investigation, and legal procedures were underway to return the property to state ownership.

The case is being pursued under Articles 362 and 180 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which cover the use of forged documents and large-scale fraud. If convicted, the individuals face between six and nine years in prison.