Russian stand-up comedian Andrey Beburishvili has revealed the shocking details of how he became a victim of fraudsters, losing five million rubles (approximately $50,000 USD), and shed light on the ongoing criminal investigation.

Investigation and the Courier`s Fate

In an interview with journalist Karen Adamyan, shared on VKontakte, Beburishvili disclosed that a criminal case was initiated following the incident. Police informed him that the stolen funds were rapidly converted into Bitcoin and transferred to Ukraine within a mere 30 to 42 minutes after he handed over the money to the scammers` accomplice.

Law enforcement successfully identified and apprehended the courier who collected the cash – a 17-year-old Russian national. The comedian personally attended the identification process. He noted that by the time of the trial, the young man had turned 18 and would likely face an adult prison sentence. Beburishvili admitted to feeling a degree of pity for him, despite the financial loss.

The Mechanics of Deception: Psychological Pressure

Andrey Beburishvili elaborated on the intricate methods used by the fraudsters to manipulate him. He emphasized that the perpetrators employed aggressive intimidation tactics, denying him any opportunity to think rationally. They managed to isolate him from his surroundings, keeping him on the phone for approximately nine consecutive hours. The comedian recalled hanging up only when he was physically inside a bank.

«You don`t get a chance to think. If one operator sensed I was weakening, they would switch me to the next, and the next one would pull me back into their narrative. Sooner or later, you start believing it,» the humorist recounted.

The Beginning of the Scheme

Beburishvili first revealed his victimhood in March. The elaborate scheme began with a call purportedly from «Russian Post.» The fraudsters convinced him to provide an SMS verification code, granting them access to his «Gosuslugi» (State Services) account. Subsequently, impersonating official authorities, they persuaded the comedian that his money was at risk of being used to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and that he needed to take immediate action to prevent this. This false premise served as the primary motivation for him to transfer his funds.