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.
According to the SSSG, 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 first 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 second 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 9,500 lari, based on which the person was granted first-category disabled person status on the pretext that they allegedly suffered from liver disease caused by Hepatitis C.
In the third 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 citizen to another medical clinic for a consultation with a second doctor, who, in turn, produced a falsified medical certificate with a diagnosis of epilepsy.
In all three 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.
As you can see, there are far from isolated instances where representatives of medical establishments issue falsified medical documentation. Beyond the broader concerns of the state and society’s fight against corruption, such actions cause significant harm to the reputation of many deserving and professional medical practitioners. We therefore urge employees of medical establishments, as well as those contemplating engaging in criminal transactions with them, to refrain from such unlawful acts. The State Security Service will be particularly unwavering in its stance against corruption offences,” the Service stated.
