UN Secretary-General's law enforcement agency arrests United National Movement (UNM) Council member, Lasha Tsanava, on charges of suspected falsification in residence permit matters

UN Secretary-General's law enforcement agency arrests United National Movement (UNM) Council member, Lasha Tsanava, on charges of suspected falsification in residence permit matters

Georgian Politician Lasha Tsanava Arrested on Fraud Charges

Lasha Tsanava, a member of Georgia's United National Movement (UNM) political council, was detained on July 30, 2025, on fraud charges related to allegedly deceiving a foreign national by demanding payments for residency documents.

The Security Service of Georgia (SSG) has released video and audio evidence showing Tsanava or an associate discussing payments for document processing and exchanging money with obscured individuals. The investigation against Tsanava is ongoing under Article 19-180, Part 2, Subparagraph "b" of Georgia's Criminal Code.

According to the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia, Tsanava promised a foreign citizen a one-year Georgian residence permit in exchange for $5,600. The foreign citizen transferred part of the money to Tsanava's account on May 21, 2025.

Covert investigative actions, authorized by the court, produced the aforementioned audio and video evidence. The ongoing investigation against Tsanava is related to fraudulent activities, and the total amount fraudulently obtained by Tsanava is $2,650.

Additional meetings in Tbilisi on May 30 and June 12 resulted in the foreign citizen handing over an additional $2,500 in cash to Tsanava. The evidence also shows Tsanava claiming he could secure the residence permit through his connections.

UNM chair Levan Khabeishvili has condemned Tsanava's detention as a staged provocation, arguing that Tsanava only helped foreigners with documentation, which many others do, and that he was targeted by an agent provocateur secretly filming him. Khabeishvili also highlighted that Tsanava had been questioned before by prosecutors for an unrelated 2009 abuse of power case during his time as an assistant to Khabeishvili but was not detained then.

As of July 31, 2025, Tsanava remains under investigation and detention for alleged fraud, with political supporters disputing the legitimacy of the charges and the evidence presented. This case could carry a prison sentence of up to seven years.

[1] Georgian Journal, "Lasha Tsanava detained on fraud charges," (July 30, 2025). [2] Civil Georgia, "Lasha Tsanava detained on fraud charges," (July 30, 2025). [3] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, "Georgian Opposition Politician Arrested on Fraud Charges," (July 30, 2025). [4] Interpressnews, "Lasha Tsanava detained on fraud charges," (July 30, 2025). [5] Agenda.ge, "Lasha Tsanava detained on fraud charges," (July 30, 2025).

1. The arrest of Lasha Tsanava, a Georgian politician, on fraud charges relating to allegations of deceiving a foreign national over residency documents has stirred up a general-news frenzy and raised questions about the integrity of some politicians in the realm of crime-and-justice.
2. The ongoing investigation of Lasha Tsanava, a high-ranking member of Georgia's United National Movement political council, for fraudulent activities is being closely followed by the Georgian public and international general-news networks, signifying a critical juncture in Georgia's politics and crime-and-justice landscape.

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