Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday it had shut down an international network of fraudulent call centers operating in the interests of former Georgian Defence Minister and founder of Milton Group, David Kezerashvili.
"The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has stopped the illegal activities of an international network of call centers operating in the interests of former Georgian Defence Minister and founder of Milton Group David Kezerashvili, who is currently hiding in London," the statement says.
According to the FSB, the call centers were part of an international organised crime group that, under the guise of investment transactions, committed mass fraud against citizens of the EU, the UK, Canada, Brazil, India, Japan and others.
"About 100,000 people living in more than 50 countries became victims of their illegal activities. Income from illegal activities reached $1 million a day," the FSB noted.
The intelligence service also provided information about the heads of the uncovered network.
"As a result of operational and investigative measures, the heads of call centers operating in Russia were identified: a citizen of Israel and Ukraine, Keselman Ya D (detained) and a citizen of Israel and Georgia, Todva D (wanted), who in 2022, on instructions from the SBU, organised the dissemination of anonymous messages about impending terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure facilities in Moscow, Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod," the statement says.
Within the framework of the criminal case opened by FSB investigators, law enforcement officers detained 11 managers and employees of Russian call center offices under Article 210 (Organisation of a criminal community), Part 4 of Article 159 (Fraud on an especially large scale), Part 3 of Article 207 (Knowingly false report of an act of terrorism) of the Russian Criminal Code. Operational search activities and investigative actions are ongoing, the FSB added.
Sputnik