Police Say Kidnap Suspect Held

The Georgian Interior Ministry said on April 6 that the police arrested Murman Pailodze, who is suspected of kidnapping U.S. citizen Alexander Crain in June, 2000.

Levan Gurgenidze, chief of the anti-organized crime unit of the Interior Ministry, said the kidnapping was organized in an attempt to extort a ransom of USD 1.2 million0. He did not specify whether the U.S. citizen paid this ransom or not.

The Georgian daily 24 Saati (24 Hours) quoted Gurgenidze as saying that during interrogation the suspect indicated that ex-Interior Minister Kakha Targamadze (who was forced to resign in 2001 after protests) and Russian-based “criminal authority” Shakro Kalashov could have been linked to this kidnapping as well.

According to 24 Saati, Pailodze is reportedly a close associate of influential media and financial tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)