The officers of Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia, as a result of joint operative-searching and investigative activities carried out along with Central Criminal Police Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Internal Audit and Monitoring Service of Tbilisi City Hall detained the citizens of Georgia – Teimuraz B., Mikheil J. and Gogi M. on the fact of damage of property in large quantities with prior agreement by deception, unauthorised access to computer system and illegal use of computer data.

Investigation established, that Teimuraz B. and Mikheil J., in exchange for particular payment, illegally penetrated into the data of Metromoney Cards belonging to various citizens through the hacker programs installed in their phones due to which, payments were reflected on the balances of the mentioned cards without being paid. Gogi M. ensured finding of the citizens and communication with them. Investigation established, that electronic payment of fare through usage of the cards that had been credited through the mentioned manner was conducted in Tbilisi Metro, microbuses, buses and cable roads. It has been also established, that in number of cases, the drivers of particular microbuses have been fulfilling daily plans through usage of the mentioned cards.

As a result of conducted searching activities, mobile phones and several tens of cards of the accused individuals have been seized, also, the hacker program has been identified, by means of which balance of the payment cards had been filled. On the current stage, the damage in large quantities is being calculated, which had been resulted by the activities carried out by the accused individuals and that had been inflicted on the budget of the city of Tbilisi, as well as on the private companies, which provide software in terms of reflection of fare. We would like to inform you that for instance, within the period of June 3 to June 7, 2019, GEL 11 500 have been credited and spent through hacking, on 10 payment cards seized as a result of searching.

Investigation is carried out on the fact of damage of property in large quantities by a group with prior agreement by deception, unauthorised access to computer system and illegal use of computer data, which resulted a considerable damage (Article 185, Paragraph II, Sub-paraghaph “a” and Pargraph III, Sub-paragraph “b”, Article 284, Paragraph II and Article 285 Paragraph II of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which envisages from 4 to 6 years of imprisonment). Investigation is carried out by the Ani-corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia.