Accused of computer fraud/ GJKKO sentences Shpend Sokoli

2026-05-04 15:37:00, Aktualitet CNA

The Special Court announced today the sentence for Shpend Sokoli. The young man from Kosovo who is accused of computer fraud through the online "dark internet" market with the "Rydox" platform, taking advantage of the shortened trial, has been sentenced to 3.8 years in prison.

The decision was made by the trio of judges Flojera Davidhi, Elsa Ulliri and Atalanta Zeqiraj, and it is announced that Sokoli will serve his sentence in a high-security prison.

What the FBI has been investigating in the Balkans is related to the illegal online marketplace known as RYDOX. The American-Albanian investigation found that the Rydox network, active since 2016, was briefly deactivated in 2020 before being reopened. Rydox advertised RaidForums, an online criminal forum that offered the sale of spam logs, the tools to send them, and their tutorials.

The FBI and SPAK determined that Rydox was an underground online marketplace. The indictment read against Shpend Sokoli in Albania stated that Rydox's database included information on 18,000 users, including virtual currency transactions.

The decision of the GJKKO:

The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime has submitted to the Court the request with the subject matter: "Trial of the criminal case against the defendant Shpend Sokoli, accused of committing the criminal offenses: "Computer fraud" in collaboration, in the form of a structured criminal group, "Structured criminal group" and "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization and a structured criminal group", provided for by articles 143/b/1, 28/4, 333/a/2 and 334, first paragraph, of the Criminal Code.".

The trial of this case was conducted under the rules of summary trial. At the end of the trial, the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, with a panel composed of judges Flojera Davidhi, Elsa Ulliri and Atalanta Zeqiraj, with decision no. 37, dated 04.05.2026, decided:

1. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Shpend Sokoli, for committing the criminal offense of "Misuse of equipment", committed in special collaboration, within the framework of a structured criminal group, provided for by Article 293/ç and 28/4, in connection with Article 334, first paragraph of the Criminal Code, and his sentence to 5 (five) years and 6 (six) months of imprisonment.

2. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Shpend Sokoli, for committing the criminal offense of "Structured criminal group", provided for by Article 333/a, second paragraph of the Criminal Code, and his sentence to 2 (two) years of imprisonment.

3. Based on Article 55 of the Criminal Code, the combination of the sentences given into a single sentence, sentencing the defendant Shpend Sokoli to 5 (five) years and 6 (six) months of imprisonment.

4. In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the defendant Shpend Sokoli is reduced by 1/3 of the prison sentence, being finally sentenced to 3 (three) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment.

5. The sentence shall begin to be served from the day of the defendant's arrest and shall be served in a high-security prison.

Based on article 190/1, letter "a" of the Criminal Procedure Code, article 36/1, letters "a" and "ç", of the Criminal Code, the confiscation of funds of citizen Shpend Sokoli on Binance, in the account with data UID: ****, Email: ****, User Name: ****.

The seized material evidence should be returned to the persons to whom it belongs.

In accordance with Article 485/3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, procedural and judicial costs, according to the attached form, are charged to the defendant.

An appeal against this decision is allowed within 15 (fifteen) days, at the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime, starting this deadline from the day after the notification of this reasoned decision. Tirana, dated 04.05.2026. /CNA