Marcel Deschamps was on the verge of despair after losing his savings in a crypto investment scam. The factory foreman from Alexandria, Ontario, had reported the fraud to the Ontario Provincial Police, but the investigation stalled. Struggling with suicidal thoughts, he held onto the hope that someone could help recover his funds.
In February 2024, a supposed cryptocurrency expert named Mary Roberts contacted him, claiming she had found the scammers who took his $200,000 and could retrieve it. She convinced him to transfer $3,500 into a crypto wallet to verify his legitimacy as an investor, assuring him with, “It’s 110 per cent that I’m going to find that money and send it to you.”
However, “Mary Roberts” was yet another scammer who had stolen the identity of a real financial adviser. An investigation by Radio-Canada’s Enquête and global media partners revealed that she was part of a sophisticated fraud network responsible for defrauding millions worldwide.
A major data leak provided unprecedented insight into the scam operation, uncovering fake websites impersonating legitimate businesses and fraudulent investment platforms promoted through deceptive ads on Facebook, Instagram, and X. The scheme has exploited over 32,000 victims, stealing more than $275 million.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT received nearly two terabytes of leaked data, exposing two call-center-based fraud rings—one operating out of Tbilisi, Georgia, and another spanning Israel, Spain, Cyprus, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. The files, shared with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and more than 30 media outlets, revealed that these networks function like structured businesses, complete with HR departments, IT support, and software for tracking victims.
Among the leaked materials were audio recordings of over a million scam calls and thousands of screen recordings showing fraudsters manipulating victims. The whistleblower who leaked the data said international law enforcement struggles to take action due to jurisdictional challenges, making it nearly impossible to stop such crimes.
Deschamps first encountered the scam through a fraudulent news article on Facebook, featuring a deepfake of Elon Musk endorsing “Quantum AI,” an AI-powered investment system supposedly backed by Tesla. The post, designed to mimic reputable news sources like CBC or CTV, led him to a fake crypto trading platform. Once he invested, scammers manipulated the interface to show artificial profits, luring him into investing more. Attempts to withdraw funds were met with fabricated fees and excuses.
A second wave of fraudsters, posing as government agencies, later contacted him, offering to recover his lost funds. This method, known as “recovery scamming,” is a common tactic used to further exploit previous victims.
The leaked records indicate that Canada is a prime target for these schemes. The Georgian fraud network made nearly one in five scam calls to Canadian numbers, while the Israeli-European network victimized over 8,000 Canadians—more than any other nationality. Experts attribute this to Canada’s high rate of self-managed retirement accounts and limited enforcement against foreign cybercriminals.
Investigators traced “Mary Roberts” back to her real identity: Mariam Charchian, a Georgian scammer whose social media accounts showcased lavish trips to Paris, Milan, and Dubai, funded by stolen money. Internal documents revealed that top scammers like Charchian could earn up to $20,000 per month, receiving bonuses such as iPhones and luxury cars.
When confronted by Deschamps, she initially feigned ignorance before abruptly hanging up. Shortly after, she and her colleagues deleted their social media accounts. The A.K. Group’s offices in Tbilisi, once bustling with scam operations, have now gone dark. Georgian prosecutors confirmed they are investigating the fraud network but have yet to take action.
Source: Swifteradio.com
