Tallinn court sentences Riga doctor to prison for SIM-box fraud

Harju County Court sentenced Latvian citizen Arsens Ivanovs to 18 months in prison for computer crime related to SIM-box fraud and possession of child sexual abuse material. He must also pay 6,000 euros in damages to Monefit Estonia OÜ and leave Estonia after serving his sentence.

Tallinn's Harju County Court found Riga-based Latvian doctor Arsens Ivanovs guilty in plea agreement proceedings and sentenced him to 18 months in prison. The charges included computer crime related to SIM-box schemes and possession of child sexual abuse material.

The court ordered Ivanovs to pay 6,000 euros in damages to the Estonian company Monefit Estonia OÜ. Additionally, he must pay legal costs exceeding 3,000 euros. After serving his sentence, Ivanovs must leave Estonia.

SIM-box schemes are fraudulent computer crimes involving the use of SIM card sets to route international calls in a manner that bypasses authentication controls and causes economic damage to telecommunications companies and other parties. Such activity is subject to criminal prosecution in Estonia.