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Georgia arrested two foreign nationals in a mass international cryptocurrency laundering scheme in a joint operation with U.S. and Polish authorities, saying the organized criminal group the suspects belonged to laundered cryptocurrency worth “several hundred million US dollars” over three years.
At a June 11 briefing attended by U.S., Polish and local officials, Beka Kvitsiani, deputy chief of the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, said the “large-scale” operation was conducted jointly by investigative authorities from Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, the Interior Ministry and the Finance Ministry, as well as the U.S. Secret Service, the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime of Poland and the Łódź District Prosecutor’s Office, and was supported by Eurojust and Europol.
The operation involved “about 100 law enforcement officers” from the three countries, and investigative actions were conducted at “dozens of locations” across Georgia. As part of the operation, the suspects, their homes, vehicles and workplaces were searched, with authorities seizing “electronic devices” and “documentation.”
Assets including “173 vehicles allegedly acquired for the purpose of money laundering, as well as high-value real estate and funds held in bank accounts” were seized, Kvitsiani said.
As part of the operation, two foreign citizens were arrested in Adjara on June 10, Kvitsiani said, noting that they were members of an organized crime group.
“In connection with the case, investigations in various countries have established that an organized criminal group, operating under the pseudonym ‘Audi A6’ and functioning since 2022, provided cybercriminals and other offenders in cyberspace with services for laundering cryptocurrency obtained through criminal activity and concealing the trail of crimes from law enforcement authorities, in exchange for substantial financial gain,” he said, adding that from 2022 to 2025 the group allegedly laundered cryptocurrency worth “several hundred million US dollars.”
“In addition, the criminal group also operated a cybercriminal forum called ‘Dark2Web,’ which was used to advertise illegal services and connect cybercriminals worldwide,” he added.
Kvitsiani thanked local and international colleagues for a “highly professional” and “successful” operation. U.S. and Polish authorities also expressed thanks after him.
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