The Ministry of Finance's investigative service is conducting a search at the residence of businessman Valeri Tkeshelashvili in Kutaisi. According to Tkeshelashvili, district inspectors arrived at his family's home in the morning, followed by officers from the financial police, who informed him that they suspect he has connections with call centers.
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"I haven't been in Georgia for the last 10 years; I arrived a few months ago and I'm at my parents' house. I am in shock. The investigator wrote on paper that he needs to conduct a search because he suspects I am involved in activities related to call centers. I have had no contact with call centers. My main focus is in education and information technology, specifically in procurement systems. I have never been involved with call centers. What they want to achieve is to scare people. Our family is not a supporter of Kotsebi (GD members), and never has been,” said Tkeshelashvili.
As he said, the employees of the investigative service brought two witnesses from Kutaisi City Hall and did not present a court decision regarding the search.
On the morning of October 24, employees of the investigative service of the Ministry of Finance entered the apartments of the Georgian employees of the American non-governmental organization Atlantic Council, Eto Buziashvili and Sopo Gelava, from whom they seized laptops and phones. Buziashvili and Gelava investigate Russian disinformation. Additionally, Sopo Gelava's husband, Giorgi Noniashvili, is a member of the political council of the Federalists party.
"They came around 8 o'clock in the morning. They did not inform me that they were from the financial police. They claimed to be from the gas inspection service and said there was a problem with a leak. About 6 people rushed in, started searching immediately, took my phone, and did not allow me to call a lawyer. They were interested in documentation and technology; that was their motive. The search began and lasted for about two hours, and the remaining two hours were spent preparing the protocol. I have been summoned for questioning," said Eto Buziashvili.
As per information from his lawyer, the investigation service of the Ministry of Finance is conducting an investigation on charges of fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.
The employees of the investigative service are also searching the office of the American company Concentrix Georgia, which is located in Vake, Tbilisi. Concentrix Georgia provides consulting services abroad to large business companies.
