Halton Regional Police have arrested two men from Mississauga in connection with a sophisticated gift card fraud scheme that operated across multiple regions in Ontario. The arrests followed an extensive investigation that began in December 2025.
Investigation Details
Police received a complaint in December 2025 regarding suspected fraud at a Walmart Supercentre in Burlington. An unidentified man was allegedly seen removing gift cards from his pockets and placing them onto a display rack. He then selected additional gift cards, concealed them, and exited the store without activating or purchasing them.
The scheme involved placing compromised gift cards onto retail display racks. Once unsuspecting customers purchased and activated these cards, the suspects would redeem the balances before the legitimate purchasers could use them.
Project Reload
In March, Halton's Financial Crimes Unit launched Project Reload to investigate the suspect's involvement in an organized gift card fraud ring operating throughout Ontario. Investigators identified the suspect and located a vehicle linked to the offences.
The probe uncovered fraudulent activity in numerous regions, including Halton, Hamilton, Brantford, Niagara, Toronto, Peel, Durham, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, York, and Barrie. Surveillance revealed the suspect systematically placing gift cards onto retail racks at various locations.
Seizures and Charges
During the investigation, police seized a quantity of gift cards and loaded them with varying monetary values. Last month, funds from several monitored cards were redeemed to purchase goods. On May 12, members of the Fraud Project Team executed three search warrants in Mississauga.
Items seized included a 2012 BMW X3 SUV, 5,700 prepaid gift cards, 137 bottles of alcohol valued at approximately $11,000, a MacBook, a Sig Sauer P226 pellet gun, and various high-end watches, jewelry, and sunglasses.
Giorgi Khandolishvili, 48, of Mississauga, faces seven charges: fraud over $5,000, two counts of fraud under $5,000, forgery, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and possession of instruments for forgery.
Jevgenij Piskunov, 40, also of Mississauga, faces seven charges including fraud over $5,000, fraud under $5,000, forgery, and property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Both accused were released on an undertaking with a future court date in Milton. Anyone with information is asked to contact Halton Regional Police Financial Crimes Unit at 905-825-4777 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
