Scam call centers linked to ex-Georgian minister busted in Russia: FSB
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The FSB says it has busted a phone scam operation linked to former Georgian Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili.
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Cars pass the FSB headquarters in downtown Moscow, Russia on December 30, 2016. (AP)
On Monday, Russian authorities dismantled a local branch of an international phone scam operation tied to a former Georgian minister. The scheme, which has reportedly been defrauding victims globally for years, was shut down by the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The agency reported that the criminal operation, which Russian officials claim was part of the notorious Milton Group network, operated several call centers in the country. One suspect, holding dual Israeli-Ukrainian citizenship, was arrested, while the alleged ringleader, David Todva, remains at large, according to the FSB.
The agency stated that the criminals had defrauded approximately 100,000 individuals across more than 50 countries, including EU member states, the UK, Brazil, India, and Japan.
The call centers were involved in what the FSB described as Kiev's terrorist activities. According to the statement, phone operators sent numerous false reports about bomb threats targeting Russian "critical infrastructure." The FSB noted that the reported targets were located in Moscow, as well as in three other regions bordering Ukraine—Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod.
Milton Group was originally a Kiev-based company, which was identified as an international scam ring years ago. The FSB alleges that its ultimate beneficiary is Davit Kezerashvili, who served as defense minister and chief of financial police under former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. The man, who currently resides in London, previously dismissed media reports about his alleged criminal activities.
In September, the Georgian Prosecution Service issued a report similar to the FSB's, announcing the dismantling of a local phone fraud operation that allegedly benefited Kezerashvili and his family. This operation, known as Morgan Limited, is said to have generated over €3 million from citizens of Germany, Slovenia, and Slovakia over about three years, according to Georgian officials.
Georgia's Interior Ministry announced last week that it had raided the former residence of Kezerashvili, where his brother-in-law, Dimitry Chikovani, is currently residing. The ministry published footage, alleging that it displayed a concealed arsenal containing dozens of firearms discovered at the site.
The raid was part of a broader crackdown on groups involved in organizing violence in Georgia, according to the statement. Chikovani is a prominent figure in the opposition United National Movement, which is currently leading anti-government protests aimed at overturning the results of the recent parliamentary elections.
