Latvian Citizen Convicted of Installing SIM Box in Estonia Gets One-Year Prison Sentence and Deportation

A 27-year-old Latvian citizen, Nikita Tkatšenko, was convicted of computer fraud by an Estonian court. He was sentenced to one year of unconditional imprisonment, after which he will be deported from Estonia and banned from entering the country for five years. Tkatšenko's role was to install and maintain a SIM box through which unknown individuals made fraudulent calls to Estonian residents.

On the request of the Northern Regional Prosecutor's Office, a court convicted 27-year-old Latvian citizen Nikita Tkatšenko of computer fraud. Under the agreement procedure decision, the man must serve one year of imprisonment, after which he will be deported from Estonia with a five-year entry ban.

How the scheme worked

Tkatšenko's task was to install a SIM box in Estonia and ensure its internet connection. The device contained SIM cards with Estonian phone numbers, through which previously unidentified individuals called residents, posing as trustworthy entities. To avoid arrest, the man constantly changed the device's location, the prosecutor's office press service reported.

Due to Tkatšenko's activities, six people suffered damage totalling more than 50,000 euros.

Prosecutor's warning

Northern Regional Prosecutor Siret Vaher-Torn emphasized that Tkatšenko was part of a larger fraud scheme. "The fraud schemes currently in circulation are extremely well-thought-out and organized. In many cases, suspects and defendants are recruited into criminal chains through social media by promises of easy ways to earn money. Hence the reminder: if you are promised easy money, pause for a moment and think about whether this job is legal. Otherwise, you may soon find yourself in a courtroom," said Vaher-Torn.

The prosecutor added that recent court decisions show the state takes crimes related to fraud seriously. "If this decision convicted the SIM box administrator, then at the beginning of the week the court sentenced a 25-year-old courier who collected money from victims and passed it to third parties. These are only the first steps in breaking the criminal chain, but at the same time, active work is underway to identify the organizers," Vaher-Torn explained.

Deportation and next steps

According to the court decision, Tkatšenko must serve a one-year prison sentence and will then be deported from Estonia. He is prohibited from entering Estonia for five years. The detention of the 27-year-old Latvian citizen was reported by Rus.ERR at the beginning of March this year.