16 September 2024,   09:34
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Special Investigation Service revealed 8 facts of pedophilia, sextortion and lewd acts committed against minors and juveniles

The Special Investigation Service [SIS] revealed 8 facts of pedophilia, sextortion and lewd acts and arrested a 32-year-old male living in Samegrelo.

The investigation established that the accused R.K purposefully created fake Facebook and Instagram accounts, through which he systematically contacted dozens of girls aged 10 to 18 living in different cities of Georgia, sent them photos of a 15-year-old boy, introduced himself as their peer, gained their trust and forced them to send intimate photos/videos, and he threatened to kill their family members. He also blackmailed them to spread with their friends and relatives their nude photos, which he would create by editing their publicly posted photos.

After obtaining intimate photos and videos from the frightened child victims, under the threat of spreading the same photos, the accused forced the minors to perform sexual acts and sexual penetration on the intimate parts of their bodies, to take photos and video materials depicting these actions and send them to him.

The investigation revealed 8 criminal episodes of pedophilia:

In March 2024, the accused used the fake account “xvicha232” on the social media platform “Instagram” to correspond with his relative, a 15-year-old girl living in West Georgia. He disguised his name and identified himself as her peer.

Later, during the chat, the accused demanded the 15-year-old girl take nude photos of her 13-year-old sister and send them, otherwise, he threatened to kill her. Being frightened by threats, the minor sent photos of her naked body to the accused instead of her sister’s, after which the male systematically asked her to send new photos and video material. After blocking the accused on the social network, he distributed photos of his 15-year-old relative"s naked body to the minor"s neighbors, friends and acquaintances in the village.

In December 2023, the accused from a fake Instagram page wrote to an 11-year-old girl living in East Georgia to get acquainted with her and gain her trust. He forced the minor to take and send intimate photos of her naked body by threatening to spread the information with her relatives. After this, the accused sent the photos of the minor to her adult sister through the social network and demanded fulfillment of his wishes by threatening to spread them. The victim sisters, fearing that the photos of the minor would be spread, as instructed by the accused, tried to perform sexual acts on the intimate parts of each other’s bodies and sexual penetration, and sent the video recording to the accused.

In June 2023, the accused wrote to a 13-year-old child living in Kvemo Kartli to get acquainted through his fake Facebook and Instagram accounts and gained her trust, after which he obtained photographs of her naked body by threatening to spread information about their communication, after which over the next several months the accused systematically threatened and blackmailed the child and forced to perform sexual acts on her naked body and to send videos and photos of her genitals.

During 2023-2024, through a similar criminal scheme, the accused deceived 4 minor and juvenile girls living in Adjara, Kutaisi and Rustavi, obtained photos of their naked bodies through blackmailing, forced them to perform sexual acts in front of a video camera and send recordings, accompanied by systematic threats to children.

On June 16, 2024, as a result of the operative and investigative activities, the Special Investigation Service arrested the accused in Samegrelo region. Before the arrest, at the beginning of the search, R.K. damaged his mobile phone, however, as a result of a computer examination, fake social network accounts were restored, and the history of private communication in personal "chats” with minors containing intimate content, threats and coercion was recovered.

During the search of accused’s house, military cartridges were also seized. As a result of the analysis of accused’s mobile phone and carried investigative activities, 7 additional juvenile victims were identified, including minors. On September 2, 2024, based on the obtained evidence, according to the resolution issued by Prosecutor’s Office, the charge was aggravated for committing sextortion, coercion into another action of a sexual nature and lewd acts.

The accused is charged with committing the crime under Article 157¹ (1), Article 236 (3), Article 139 (1), Article 138 (4b), and Article 141 (2f) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The crime envisages imprisonment for up to 15 years.

Dozens of intimate photos and video materials of minors discovered by the investigation will be destroyed following the relevant legislation.

The Special Investigation Service will offer the affected children to go through a psycho-rehabilitation course on crime trauma at the State"s expense.

The Special Investigation Service continues the investigation and correspondence/communication with dozens of minor girls using fake profiles will be analyzed and investigated thoroughly.

Due to the increased danger of crime, we urge the public to be cautious. All parents need to analyze the potential danger and exercise maximum attention when children access the Internet/Gadgets.

To submit a report or to get assistance, please contact The SIS via hotline – 199, or personally visit our offices - in Tbilisi, Telavi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Zugdidi, or write on social networks or via e-mail. Confidentiality is guaranteed! The specialized employees of the Victims’ Rights Protection Unit of the Special Investigation Service will support victims of crime.

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