The Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia [SSSG] has arrested three individuals in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi on charges of forging medical certificates and assisting with commercial bribery.

“The investigation has established that doctors at various medical establishments in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi, along with their accomplices, produced falsified medical documentation regarding health conditions in exchange for specific sums of money, on the basis of which individuals were granted disabled person status.

In the 1st case, in Tbilisi, D.T., an employee of a medical establishment, provided a citizen with a fraudulent disability certificate in exchange for GEL 3,000, which was based on a diagnosis of bronchial asthma without any medical examinations or commission review whatsoever.

In the 2nd case, in Batumi, T.D., who was in criminal association with doctors at a medical establishment, provided a citizen with a falsified certificate in exchange for GEL 9,500, based on which the person was granted 1st-category disabled person status on the pretext that they allegedly suffered from liver disease caused by Hepatitis C.

In the 3rd case, in Kutaisi, Ts.O., who was in criminal association with doctors at various medical establishments, provided a citizen with a falsified medical certificate for a diagnosis of epilepsy in exchange for GEL 3,200. In this instance, Ts.O. took the citizen to a consultation with a neurologist, who prepared a fraudulent computer encephalography report with a fabricated diagnosis, following which Ts.O. took the person to another clinic for a consultation with a 2nd doctor, who, in turn, produced a falsified medical certificate with a diagnosis of epilepsy.

In all cases, the actions were directed towards presenting fraudulent certificates to the Social Services Agency and, consequently, obtaining disabled person status to receive state pensions and other benefits. The investigation is proceeding under Articles 221(4), 25, 221(4), and 362(1) of the Criminal Code, which cover group commercial bribery, assisting with commercial bribery, and the acquisition and sale of falsified official documents. The offence carries a sentence of four to six years’ imprisonment.

The SSSG will be particularly unwavering in its stance against corruption offences”, - says the agency.