Lithuanian media expose Azeri fraud to buy Eurovision votes (video)

 May 19, 2013 - 15:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The journalists of the 15min.lt Lithuanian information agency exposed a fraud orchestrated by Azerbaijan to take a top spot in Eurovision Song Contest.

The agency videotaped a meeting with two Russian-speaking men offering money to Lithuanians for their votes in favor of a contestant. On Sunday, May 18 morning a group of students came to the agency’s editorial office. The students said they were approached by men who offered them 20 euro each to vote multiple times for a contestant.

To investigate the matter, the 15min.lt journalists met the recruites armed with hidden cameras and dictaphones. In a mere 10 minutes, the recruiters divulged the whole “operation.” As the journalists were told, the same scheme worked in other countries. The goal was to recruit groups of 10 people to vote for Azerbaijan. Those recruited were given SIM-cards to vote as many times as possible within 15 minutes.

The recruiters confessed to having found 8-10 groups. A supervisor was assigned to every group to check the results and give the payment. To prove the above, the recruiter pulled a wad of money from his pocket, noting he could make the payment in lits.

As the man noted, the same scheme works in 15 countries, with Azeri victory costing millions.

This was the way Azerbaijan got 12 points from Lithuania at Eurovision 2013.

The full conversation with the recruiters is featured in video below.

Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Montenegro and Russia also gave Azerbaijan the highest points.