14 convicted for defrauding tourists in Tbilisi
The Prosecutor General’s Office said the owner of the clubs was among the convicts. Photo: Prosecutor’s office
Tweet 
Share
Tbilisi City Court has found 14 individuals guilty for defrauding tourists in Kalakuri and Royal nightclubs in Georgian capital Tbilisi, the Prosecutor General’s Office said on Monday.
The body said the offenders had extorted ₾9,340 ($3,417) from foreign nationals - including six citizens of Yemen, Egypt, India, Sudan and Belarus - at the venues in collaboration with the owner.
It explained the administration of the two clubs had used “artificially inflated” prices for menus after attracting them to the clubs through use of women inviting them for dates at the venues. The targeted individuals were then forced to use the inflated menu prices, the body added, and were pressured by the staff after refusing to pay.
The owner of the two clubs has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison, and two managers from their staff to eight years each, while plea agreement was reached with several of the offenders considering their cooperation with the investigation and compliance with ensuring compensation for the victims.
The Prosecutor’s Office also said the type of the crime “harm[ed] the country’s tourism image” and prevented the development of the entertainment sector.
Police arrested 13 members of an organised crime group for "fraudulent activities" in Tbilisi, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) said on Saturday.
The investigation service of the ministry of finance of Georgia arrested one individual on Tuesday for fraudulent flat sale enterprise, the state body announced.
Two individuals, including a former public servant, have been arrested on the charge of appropriation of state property worth ₾828,960 ($297,000) and negligence, the Investigation Service of the Georgian Finance Ministry said on Tuesday.
Georgian law enforcers of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) have detained 11 individuals for helping embezzle €620,000 belonging to German, Austrian, Chinese, Dutch and Norwegian citizens.
The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office on Thursday said it had solved a transnational crime and launched criminal prosecution against seven individuals for fraudulent appropriation of $217,000 (₾596,612) from three large international companies.
The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office has launched proceedings against three citizens of Georgia and Nigeria, who have been charged with appropriation of funds from foreign citizens through fraud and money laundering.
A border police employee has been charged with abuse of powers by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia with abuse of powers after he fired a warning shot and handcuffed two foreign tourists during their visit to a nature reserve in the country’s east.