TI Alleges Ivanishvili Family Owns Moscow Properties, Georgian Dream Denies
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, August 12, 2024
A recent investigation by Transparency International - Georgia is alleging that the family of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream founder and former Prime Minister of Georgia, owns valuable properties in two prestigious districts of Moscow. The investigation has raised questions about Ivanishvili's ties to Russia, despite his past assurances of severing all connections with the country.
The investigation claims that the Ivanishvili family is linked to two private residences located in the Sokol and Odintsovo areas of Moscow. One of these properties reportedly includes a large estate covering over 52,000 square meters, encompassing nine plots of land, three garages, and several auxiliary buildings. The alleged market value of these properties is estimated to be at least $14.7 million, with the potential to be even higher.
According to the investigation, the Ivanishvili family is also accused of renting out one of these residences for approximately $9,000 per month, earning income through Russian banks that are currently under US sanctions. The properties are said to be registered under the names of Ivanishvili's wife, Ekaterine Khvedelidze, their son, Uta Ivanishvili, and a Russian company, Aqua-Space LLC, which is allegedly owned by Ivanishvili through offshore entities.
Transparency International - Georgia further alleges that the majority of these properties were purchased and registered in recent years, specifically in 2021 and 2024. The organization criticized Ivanishvili, stating, "This suggests that his 2011 promise to sever ties with Russia was false. Instead of cutting ties, his family has been expanding its property holdings in Moscow."
In response to these allegations, the ruling party Georgian Dream, which Ivanishvili founded, issued a firm rebuttal, labeling the investigative report as "pure lies." The party's press office strongly denied the claims, asserting that the report was based on false information and lacked evidence.
The Georgian Dream press statement emphasized that Bidzina Ivanishvili has not purchased any property in Russia since 1998. The party also dismissed the claims about recent property acquisitions, insisting that neither Ivanishvili nor any member of his family has traveled to Russia since 1998. They criticized the report as an attempt to create a "sensational and scandalous story" based on misrepresented facts.
The statement from the party highlighted their frustration with what they see as a deliberate attempt to damage Ivanishvili's reputation: "Spreading such lies without any evidence does not meet any journalistic standards. It is unclear what the authors of this article aim to achieve with these baseless accusations."
