Davit Kezerashvili
Davit Kezerashvili დავით კეზერაშვილი | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Minister of Defense of Georgia | |
In office November 10, 2006 – December 5, 2008 | |
President | Mikheil Saakashvili Nino Burjanadze (Acting) Mikheil Saakashvili |
Preceded by | Irakli Okruashvili |
Succeeded by | Vasil Sikharulidze |
Personal details | |
Born | September 22, 1978 Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, USSR |
Political party | National Movement - Democrats |
Davit Kezerashvili (Georgian: დავით კეზერაშვილი) (born September 22, 1978) is a Jewish-Georgian investor, entrepreneur and former Minister of Defense of Georgia under Mikheil Saakashvili's presidency from November 2006 to December 2008.[1] Kezerashvili currently resides in the United Kingdom and is sentenced to imprisonment in Georgia for corruption.[1][2] In 2023, the BBC published an investigation where it alleged Kezerashvili appeared to be associated with a network of fraudulent and unregulated investment brands.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Kezerashvili was born in Tbilisi to a Jewish family.[4] After migrating to Russia, he went to Israel in 1992, where he lived with his grandmother in the Kiryat Ben-Gurion neighbourhood of Holon and attended high school. After a year and a half, he left Israel and returned to Georgia. He studied law and international relations at Tbilisi State University.[5]
Career
[edit]After working in the Ministry of Justice in Georgia, he became an assistant to Mikheil Saakashvili, the then Minister for Justice.[citation needed]
In late 2001, Kezerashvili became one of the founding members of the United National Movement (UNM) party, and contested an election in 2002 under its banner.[6][7] After the party rose to power in 2003, Kezerashvili worked in the Finance Ministry from 2004 until November 2006, including a role as chair of the financial police force. On November 11, 2006, he was appointed as Defense Minister. Kezerashvili resigned as defence minister on 5 December 2008 during a major cabinet shuffle. His dismissal was expected in the aftermath of Georgia's defeat in the 2008 South Ossetia War.[8] Kezerashvili was succeeded by former ambassador to the United States, Vasil Sikharulidze.
Conviction in Georgia
[edit]After the change of power in Georgia in 2012, the new government opened an investigation against Kezerashvili. He was alleged to have embezzled €5 million ($5.2 million) during his tenure as defense minister under the auspices of a combat training project.[2] Kezerashvili denied the allegations and was acquitted of embezzlement by the Tbilisi City Court and the Tbilisi Court of Appeals.[9][10]
The Georgian government has made repeated failed attempts to extradite Kezerashvili to Georgia.[1][9] In October 2013, Kezerashvili was detained on an Interpol warrant in France, with the Georgian government seeking his extradition.[11] The Aix-en-Provence City Court ruled against his extradition and Kezerashvili was released in early 2014.[9] INTERPOL declared a search for Kezerashvili by red notice in 2014. However, INTERPOL revoked its red notice the next year.[12]
In 2016, the United Kingdom also refused to extradite Kezerashvili to Georgia.[12] At the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, the Senior District Judge Howard Riddle heard that Interpol had stated “it would refuse to provide police cooperation to Georgia” because “such cooperation would not conform with article 3 of its constitution” and that “there are concerns over the political motivation or prosecutions, and an alleged lack of due process in the context of pre-trial detention.”[12] In dismissing the extradition request, the judge stated that witnesses on Kezerashvili's behalf were “persuasive and moving” and that the “defense has provided live and credible evidence that casts considerable doubt over the basis of the case against Mr Kezerashvili.”[12]
In September 2021, the Supreme Court of Georgia overturned both acquittals against and sentenced him to 10 years in prison in absentia. Due to the amnesty, he would serve only five years in prison.[2] Kezerashvili argued that the charges were politically motivated against him.[1]
It has been reported that the State Prosecutor's Office of Israel for Tax and Financial Crimes may also charge Kezerashvili for corruption.[13]
BBC investigation
[edit]In April 2023, the BBC published an investigation where it alleged that Kezerashvili appeared to be associated with a network of fraudulent and unregulated investment brands, including EverFX.[3][14] The BBC alleged that he appeared in the Panama Papers to be either the founder or one of the initial shareholders of the companies in the predating linked network, was identified as senior person in the scheme by former employees of the firms, frequently promoted the scam trading platforms on his personal social media accounts, owned office buildings in Kyiv housing the fraud call center and used private email server used exclusively by Milton Group companies and those owned by Kezerashvili.[3] The BBC said that there were no publicly available documents linking Kezerashvili to the network and that there was "no evidence that he had any direct financial interest in the Milton brands".[3] Kezerashvili denied the allegations.[3]
Georgian politics and media
[edit]On 3 September 2019, Kezerashvili bought control packet of shares of TVFormula, a pro-opposition Georgian TV channel.[1]
Kezerashvili is considered to be a major financial donor to several Georgian opposition parties, including the United National Movement, Strategy Aghmashenebeli and Droa.[15] He has also financially supported Girchi TV, operated by the opposition Girchi — More Freedom party. It was reported that he was linked to attempts to remove Nikanor Melia as Chair of the UNM. Melia accused Kezerashvili of attempting to gain "informal influence" over the party.[16]
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Haseldine, Lisa (2023-03-29). "David Kezerashvili: 'Georgia is a proxy of the Russian state'". The Spectator. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ a b c Ex-Defense Minister Sentenced 10 Years In Absentia. Civil Georgia. September 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e On the hunt for the businessmen behind a billion-dollar scam BBC News April 12, 2023.
- ^ "Welcome to nginx". Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- ^ Itar-TASS (13 Nov 2006), Territorial unity remains key goal of Georgia-new defense minister Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ UNA Georgia information service (accessed 15 November 2005) Saakashvili-National movement bloc Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Civil Georgia, Anjaparidze, Zaal (No Irakli Okruashvili proves that one's as good as none in politics Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Georgian defense, foreign ministers fired". The Associated Press. 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2008-12-09.[dead link]
- ^ a b c staff, DFWatch. "Davit Kezerashvili acquitted of cognac fraud". Democracy & Freedom Watch. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ "The aim of the legal dispute against Davit Kezerashvili may be to pressure Formula TV". საერთაშორისო გამჭვირვალობა - საქართველო. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ "Tbilisi Seeks Extradition of Ex-Defense Minister Detained in France". Civil Georgia. October 15, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Riddle, Judge Howard (21 March 2016). "The Government of Georgia v Davit Kezerashvili" (PDF). Judiciary of England & Wales.
- ^ "Israel may charge 4 for evading taxes on $11m of income from defense deals in Georgia under UNM gov't". Agenda.ge. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ https://celsolicitors.co.uk/is-everfx-a-scam/ Is EverFX a scam?
- ^ "What is wrong with the Georgian opposition?". Jam News. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ "Georgian opposition leader accuses former officials of plotting against him". OC Media. 30 January 2023.