'We have children and pregnant women'/ The 'tricks' of the Call-Center group to escape prison

One of the online fraud groups, through the network of Call Centers in Tirana, has not been able to be released from prison at the capital's Court of Appeal, even though they used the need to care for minor children, pregnant women, and even surgical operations as "tricks" before the court.

Although most of them, starting with Ledio Toçi, Xhoel Mekolli, and others, have claimed in court that they are regular family members, have children and pregnant women to take care of, they still have not convinced the Appeals Judge, Valdete Hoxha, to ease the security measure from "Arrest in prison" to a milder measure of isolation.

Toçi has requested the relaxation of the security measure as he must exercise the duty of a father to care for a 2-year-old child. Meanwhile, Xhoel Mekolli was in the same line with him, claiming that his cohabitant, A. Bishami, is pregnant and he must take care of her, as she is in danger.

Plus, Mekolli added in court that his continued stay in prison risks contracting infections, after he underwent surgery, specifically for "recurrent pilonidal sinus."

The Tirana Court of Appeal has now released the full decision, describing Eduart Dalla, Mateo Hoxha, Tedi Agastra, Ledio Toçi, Xhoel Mekolli, Aida Vokli, Ledjon Cenaj and other wanted persons as individuals who have collaborated with each other, defrauding hundreds of foreign citizens and consequently causing great economic damage.

In the decision released, the Court of Appeals assesses the existence of this network of "Call Centers" operating in Albania, organized through online marketing companies, where some persons are suspected of providing the technical infrastructure, some of whom administered the companies and premises, while other persons are suspected of benefiting from and transferring funds derived from the fraud of foreign citizens.

According to the court's decision, Eduard Dalla is suspected of providing and managing the technical infrastructure of the internet and VOIP connections for call centers.

The suspicion against him is related to the fact that his phone number was used in internet contracts linked to IPs identified by Austrian authorities.

Also, from wiretaps and verifications, it appears that he communicated with internet companies for installations at various addresses and is suspected of serving as an intermediary for the provision and distribution of internet in the premises where the Call Center activity was carried out.

Mateo Hoxha and Tedi Agastra are suspected of playing a central role in the financial fraud scheme.

According to data from Austrian authorities, very large sums of money related to investments made by the victims have been transferred to their crypto addresses.

Specifically, Mateo Hoxha is suspected of having benefited from over 3.2 million USD, while Tedi Agastra from over 4.8 million USD. The prosecution suspects that they are the ultimate beneficiaries of the cryptocurrencies linked to the fraudulent activity.

Also, Ledio Toçi is suspected of being a person directly connected to the premises and activities of the Call Centers.

He turns out to have been employed at "Call-Center" companies such as "Upstream Creative" and "Victory Communication", while the apartment where one of the internet connections used in the fraud was installed turned out to be rented by him and Aida Vokli.

Also, a phone number referred to by Austrian authorities was formally in the name of his brother, but was suspected of being used by Ledio Toci.

Xhoel Mekolli is also suspected of being a person connected to the call center activity because the IP addresses identified by the partner authorities were also used by him, while technical analyses showed a high number of connections to these IP addresses.

Mekolli was also employed by the entity "Espiron Studio" and was found near the suspected premises during police surveillance. /Syri.net, Elton Qyno