Giorgi Khatiashvili, accused of involvement in transnational organized crime, has been extradited to Georgia from the Argentine Republic – General Prosecutor's Office
Following a request by the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, Giorgi Khatiashvili—accused of involvement in transnational organized crime—has been extradited to Georgia from the Argentine Republic.
The General Prosecutor's Office has released information regarding this development. "On October 14, following a request by the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, Giorgi Khatiashvili—accused of involvement in transnational organized crime—was extradited from the Argentine Republic to Georgia.
The extradited individual is charged with facilitating the unlawful stay of a Georgian citizen in a foreign country as part of a criminal group; organizing and facilitating the submission of false information to obtain asylum for a Georgian citizen abroad; and the creation and distribution of forged official documents. Additionally, nine other individuals have been prosecuted in connection with this criminal case.
As a result of a joint operation conducted by the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia and the Regional Security Office of the United States Embassy, organized criminal groups were uncovered. It was established that the tightening of immigration policy in the United States had made crossing the border more difficult. With the intent of securing financial gain, Giorgi Khatiashvili—together with other individuals accused of the crime—formed a criminal group, the objective of which was [to facilitate entry/stay] in the United States..." The activity involved fabricating false narratives—so-called "cases"—and corresponding forged evidence for Georgian citizens seeking asylum.
Members of the criminal group assured Georgian citizens that, with the help of the documents and narratives they created, the individuals would be able to obtain asylum in the United States without any difficulty. The group members concocted fictitious accounts claiming that these Georgian citizens had been persecuted in Georgia for various reasons—such as their political views, sexual orientation, or mistreatment by law enforcement—and produced forged documents to substantiate these fabricated stories.
The investigation identified over 1,000 individuals to whom the members of the criminal group offered their services between 2023 and 2026, collecting approximately 600,000 Georgian Lari, 2,250,000 US Dollars, and 12,500 Euros from them. Another individual wanted in connection with the case has been extradited from Germany, following effective international legal cooperation carried out by the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia.
The request submitted by the Georgian side was fully granted by the competent authorities of the Argentine Republic—a development that sets a precedent, as this marks the first extradition case involving a country located outside of Europe and the immediate region. We also extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Justice and the Special Penitentiary Service for taking the necessary measures, within the scope of their respective mandates, to facilitate the extradition.
"It should be noted that the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia collaborated actively with foreign partners on this case; particular emphasis should be placed on the active involvement of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Regional Security Office of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi," the Prosecutor's Office stated.