Khurtsidze convicted of crimes; faces 40 years in jail

Former middleweight contender Avtandil Khurtsidze was convicted of multiple crimes of racketeering, wire fraud and other charges. He faces up to 40 years in prison, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Khurtsidze was found guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of wire fraud conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

“As a unanimous jury found, Razhden Shulaya and his chief enforcer, Avtandil Khurtsidze, engaged in an array of criminal schemes that included violence, extortion, theft, trafficking in stolen goods and fraud,” said Geoffrey S. Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office prosecuted the case.

“He’s gotten due process. F— him for squandering his championship-caliber skills and career,” said Khurtsidzi’s promoter Lou DiBella. “He let many people down who believed in him, but no one more than himself. Just a waste, and it’s all on him for choosing the dark side.”