In 2025, internal power struggles within Georgian Dream escalated, resulting in the criminal prosecution of several high-ranking former officials, including a former prime minister and the former head of the State Security Service. While most of these officials face corruption charges, the former chief prosecutor stands accused of ordering a murder.
In addition to targeting former allies who have remained close to Georgian Dream, the current government has also pursued ex-officials who transitioned into opposition, bringing charges in absentia against former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who now resides abroad.
Here is a summary of ten cases where Georgian Dream is prosecuting its former teammates:
- Irakli Garibashvili — Georgian Dream’s two-time Prime Minister (2013–2015 and 2021–2024), who also served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Defense, is charged with money laundering but remains free on 1 million GEL bail. During a search of his home, the State Security Service (SSG) seized nearly USD 7 million in cash. Garibashvili has admitted to receiving illicit funds.
- Grigol Liluashvili — the former head of the State Security Service (2019–2025), was arrested on December 23. He is accused of accepting bribes in four instances, including from a Turkish investor, and of shielding fraudulent call-center schemes.
- Otar Partskhaladze — the former Chief Prosecutor, previously shielded by Georgian Dream from accountability in the beating case of Auditor General Lasha Tordia and protected from U.S. sanctions by regulatory changes made by the National Bank in 2023, was declared wanted at the end of 2025. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Partskhaladze led an organized group that ordered the contract killing of Levan Jangveladze, brother of a “thief in law.” Partskhaladze, who acquired Russian citizenship and adopted the Romanov surname, has been placed in pre-trial detention in absentia in Georgia. However, Georgian Dream officials say that extraditing him from Russia is likely to be difficult.
- Juansher Burchuladze — Georgia’s Minister of Defense (2021–2024), was arrested on September 11 on charges of abuse of power and money laundering and is currently in pre-trial detention. His then-deputy, Giorgi Khaindrava, and Burchuladze’s brother-in-law, Vasil Mkheidze, are also arrested. Prosecutors allege Burchuladze overpaid by GEL 1,333,728 for an MRI machine, laundered GEL 1,593,212 in illicit funds, and failed to prove the legal origin of a house and land purchased for EUR 544,000 in Málaga, Spain.
- Romeo Mikautadze — the former First Deputy Minister of Economy, was arrested on June 21, 2025, and faces roughly ten charges, including abuse of office and money laundering. Investigators claim he laundered over GEL 8 million.
- Koba Gabunia — the former Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, was arrested on abuse-of-power charges and initially placed in pre-trial detention. He was later released on GEL 500,000 bail. As part of the same investigation, authorities also searched the home of former Regional Development Minister Irakli Karseladze.
- Kakha Gvantseladze — the former head of Tbilisi City Hall’s Preschool Management Agency, along with several employees, has been charged in a corruption case connected to former SSSG chief Grigol Liluashvili. Prosecutors allege Gvantseladze accepted substantial “kickbacks” from private contractors in exchange for awarding preschool procurement contracts. Gvantseladze is currently a fugitive.
- Bichiko Paikidze — a Georgian Dream member of the Vani Municipal Council (and a relative of Grigol Liluashvili), is charged with embezzling substantial state funds and tax evasion. He fled Georgia but was reportedly arrested in Barcelona on December 9, with extradition proceedings now underway.
- Giorgi Bachiashvili — the former head of the Co-Investment Fund, secretly left the country, was reportedly abducted from the United Arab Emirates, and returned to Georgia on May 27. His parents, Marina Ramazashvili and Aleksandre Bachiashvili, were placed in pre-trial detention in absentia. Bachiashvili was sentenced to 11 years in the high-profile “bitcoin case,” with Bidzina Ivanishvili serving as the complainant.
- Giorgi Gakharia — Georgian Dream has charged its former Prime Minister in absentia in connection with the “Gavrilov Night” events of June 20 and the opening of a police post in Chorchana. If he returns to Georgia, he faces 9 to 13 years in prison.
This is not an exhaustive list of cases pursued against former Georgian Dream-affiliated figures under the leadership of Kobakhidze and Mdinaradze. For instance, in a single case involving alleged embezzlement of grants from the Rural Development Agency, 25 individuals have been prosecuted.
