Journalists Expose Global Scam Operating out of Tbilisi

For years, two call centers in the heart of Tbilisi scammed people around the world and stole millions of dollars, according to a new right-month long journalistic investigation by OCCRP and its Georgian media partners.

The call centers in Tbilisi were allegedly part of a larger network of “scam empire” operating in Israel, Eastern Europe, and Georgia. OCCRP and its investigative partners, including Georgia’s iFact, Studio Monitor, and GMC, received two terabytes of data from the Swedish Public Broadcaster, which had been provided the information by an anonymous source.

The document says that the obtained information includes surveillance footage from office corridor cameras, screen recordings of the fraudsters’ work computers, and audio recordings of phone calls; as well as more than half a million internal documents from a much larger investment fraud network that operated for many years in Israel, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Spain.

By studying and analyzing the material obtained by the Swedish journalists, the investigative journalists were able not only to establish the true identity of the fraudsters, but also to investigate the principles of the network as a whole.

The investigation, led by more than 30 journalists, revealed that the network convinced more than 32,000 people worldwide to make bogus “investments” totaling at least $275 million.

In Tbilisi, the call centers employed about 80 fraudsters who stole more than $35 million from more than 6,100 victims between May 2022 and February 2025, according to financial records of managers of the Georgian operation.

According to the investigation, the company behind the Tbilisi call centers is allegedly LTD A.K. Group, officially owned by Meri Shotadze, a 36-year-old woman who managed the call centers in central Tbilisi. The call centers employed mostly young Georgians who were fluent in foreign languages.

Her alleged accomplice was Akaki Kevkhishvili, a 33-year-old man who mostly stayed behind the scenes and communicated with the team of fraudsters through Shotadze.

A.K. Group tries to hide from the public eye: there is no information on the Internet and no signs near the offices. But photos taken at a company party and accidentally leaked helped journalists identify the call center staff.

The fraudulent call centers have been exposed several times in Georgia, but concerns remain about the authorities’ possible involvement or role in their operations. This time, investigative journalists contacted the Prosecutor’s Office and the State Security Service (SSS). The Prosecutor’s Office said it was “studying” the information about A.K. Group, while the SSSG said the issue is not within its jurisdiction. Notably, one of the call centers exposed in the investigation operated less than a kilometer from the Security Service headquarters in Tbilisi.

Call centers are located in luxury office buildings, including in EU countries, the investigation said. fraudulent companies are serviced by marketing firms and banks

Scam Scheme

Internal records show that victims’ personal information, including names and phone numbers, was provided to the scammers by marketing firms that directed hundreds of potential “clients” to the call centers. The marketing firms obtained this information from social media ads, in which individuals submitted their contact information. However, there is no evidence that these companies knew they were supplying the scammers.

Once the scammers had the victims’ personal information, the “conversation” team – usually made up of less experienced scammers – would begin work. Their job was to call potential customers, gauge their interest and level of expertise, and quickly transfer them to a more experienced agent if they showed a willingness to make a small initial investment.

These more skilled scammers from the “retention” team took over. Posing as “financial advisors,” they used fake identities and forged passports to convince victims to invest in platforms that were, in fact, fake, telling them they would gain great profits. Some even lured victims into romantic entanglements to build trust and talk them into more and more money.

Even when victims realized they had been scammed, other scammers would contact them, claiming they had tracked down their lost money and could get it back – along with supposed winnings – if they made just one more transaction. This was also a scam.

Telegram chats reviewed by journalists show that the scammers were fully aware of their actions, often taunting victims and celebrating successful extortion. Top performers could earn more than $20,000 a month and compete for prizes such as iPhones and BMWs.

The investigation describes in detail the luxurious lifestyle of the scammers, which their fraudulent activity allows them to lead.

Global challenge

Some $500 billion a year is lost through this online fraud network, Jürgen Stock, former secretary general of Interpol, tells the OCCRP. “The laptop, so to speak, is now the sharpest sword in the arsenal of criminal groups,” he adds.

The source of the leak, who provided all the data and information to Swedish Public Broadcasting, pointed out the apparent impunity of the fraudsters: ““Many criminals use online phone, chat, and email services to stay anonymous and are based in countries where authorities refuse to cooperate.”

The investigation and prosecution of such cases presents several serious challenges, including the transnational nature of the fraud, the lack of specialized expertise of law enforcement , and the low level of victim participation.

Also Read:

• 24/10/2024 – Finance Ministry: “Searches Conducted in So-Called Call Centers”
• 09/09/2024 – Law Enforcement Claim Solving Fraudulent Call Center Case Allegedly Involving Former Defense Minister, Who Denies Allegations
• 13/08/2024 – U.S. Helsinki Commission Urges State Dept. to Target Scam Call Centers “Sponsoring” GD’s Activities
• 05/02/2024 – Seven Arrested over Transnational Fraudulent Call Centers

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)