The Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office on Monday announced the commencement of legal proceedings against a criminal group associated with a “call centre” scam scheme operating in the country and targeting German citizens with fraud.
Highlighting collaboration with Eurojust and German state agencies, the body stressed it had been “actively engaged” in identifying the fraudulent operations internationally, with the latest efforts involving the initiation of criminal prosecution against three organisers of a transnational organised crime group, a group member, and a legal entity.
The body said the investigation had revealed the group had established a call centre in Georgia before contacting German citizens using fictitious names, providing false information about the location of their company and offering opportunities for digital trading of securities, shares, commodity assets, currencies and cryptocurrencies through electronic platforms created by them.
Operators assured users they could make substantial profits through the trading, however the funds of their victims were “fraudulently obtained”, the Office said.
They then carried out “multiple fictitious transactions” on bank accounts under their control to legalise the funds, with the money included in economic turnover for the purpose of purchasing real estate to “launder tens of millions of lari”, the body added.
Criminal prosecution has been initiated against all five individuals charged with money laundering, with the offence punishable by nine to 12 years of imprisonment. Property worth “several million lari” has also been seized from the group.
The Office said it would ensure confiscation of the illegally obtained property and noted the organisers of the criminal scheme had already been tried by the Regensburg Regional Court of Germany for commercial and group fraud.
In the subsequent stage, the body will also apply to the Tbilisi City Court for imprisonment as a preventive measure for the defendants.