Prosecutor's Office charges 3 for embezzlement of $122,000 in car dealership scheme

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia on Thursday charged three individuals for embezzlement of $122,712 from citizens in a car dealership scheme that worked to deliver vehicles to customers from the United States.

The Office said the Interior Ministry’s investigation had shown that a dealer and directors of CarTrade, an auto dealership company, had received $209,220 from seven customers for purchasing and delivering vehicles from the US.

Using $145,210 of the funds for the purchase of the cars, the group unlawfully appropriated the rest of the funds between themselves, the body added.

The Office said it would ask Tbilisi City Court to set preventive detention against two offenders and to use bail for the third individual, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to investigate the case to detect potential further illegal activity and involvement.

The three arrested individuals face seven to 11 years in prison if found guilty.