Irakli Garibashvili

Irakli Garibashvili, former Prime Minister of Georgia, was convicted of money laundering involving large-scale illicit income. Following a search of his residence in October 2025, authorities seized $6.5 million in cash. Investigators alleged he had secretly engaged in business activities while in office and laundered the proceeds by falsely declaring the funds as gifts from family members. On January 12, 2026, Garibashvili pleaded guilty to charges under Article 194, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. He was sentenced to five years in prison, fined 1 million Georgian lari, and ordered to forfeit seized assets. Prior to this conviction, his premierships were marked by controversies regarding nepotism allegations involving his relatives in government positions, as well as significant criticism for rhetoric blaming NATO for the war in Ukraine and policies perceived as shifting Georgia away from the European Union.