OCCRP highlights Armenia’s role in cybercrime case after German court conviction

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has highlighted Armenia’s contribution to an international cybercrime investigation after a German court sentenced a key member of a criminal call center network to seven years and six months in prison.

According to Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, the convicted individual, identified as M.B., was extradited from Armenia to Germany in May 2024 following a decision by Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan. German authorities had requested his extradition to face charges of large-scale fraud committed as part of a criminal organization through a fraudulent call center scheme.

The German court also ordered the confiscation of €2.4 million in criminal proceeds. The defendant pleaded guilty.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the court found that victims in Germany had suffered losses of approximately €8 million. In addition, the supply of specialized software to other criminal groups used to carry out similar fraud schemes caused a further €42 million in damages.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said Armenia’s decision to grant Germany’s extradition request contributed to the effective administration of international criminal justice and to the fight against organized cybercrime.