GIA invalidates grading reports for 1,042 diamonds

GIA has invalidated grading reports for 1,042 diamonds submitted primarily to its grading laboratory in India.. As such, GIA has expressed its strong request to anyone in anyone possession of any of these diamonds or grading reports to have them returned immediately to GIA for examination. The reports were altered by an outside party who gained unauthorized remote access to GIA’s grading information database. GIA has published the list of the said reports on its website. The clients who submitted the diamonds in question have been contacted and suspended from further submissions to GIA pending continued investigation.

Based on discrepancies in grading information identified by internal controls, GIA initiated an investigation in conjunction with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the lab’s contractor that supports GIA databases. Investigation revealed the involvement of an outside party in altering the reports for 1,042 diamonds examined by GIA. The investigation indicates that one or more former employees of TCS made these unauthorized changes. The individuals, acting at the behest of other parties unrelated to GIA or TCS, gained unauthorized remote access to alter grades before reports were printed and sent to clients.

GIA and TCS have made the results of their investigation known to law enforcement agencies in India that are actively investigating the matter. GIA noted it has further strengthened its systems, controls and procedures for access to its grading information database.

Most of the diamonds were submitted in India. Many of those were graded in full or in part at other GIA locations including Carlsbad and New York. Some stones were submitted directly to GIA in Carlsbad. The diamonds were submitted between November 2014 and September 2015; approximately 900 were submitted in July and August.