The Civil Guard of Murcia has unraveled a dozen frauds amounting to 1,300,000 euros through deceptive online investments, impacting victims in the provinces of Murcia, Madrid, Valencia, Guipúzcoa, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Mallorca, and Córdoba.
As reported by the armed institution on Thursday, the network advertised supposed financial opportunities on social media, mimicking substantial returns for minimal investments.
In operation Blokil, the Civil Guard has apprehended a woman in Orihuela (Alicante) and has issued international search and arrest warrants for two others for their presumed involvement in the crimes of fraud, document forgery, and money laundering.
The initiative commenced in Mazarrón (Murcia) after a local resident reported being a victim of a scam. The individual informed the officers that they had been in contact with a purported investment firm discovered through a popular social network.
This company proposed investments in cryptocurrencies and various financial products promising great profits from modest amounts. This led the victim to invest a small sum, which, shortly thereafter, soared due to the persistent offers of exclusive opportunities presented by the company. The complainant opted to withdraw the funds upon realising the ruse.
The inquiry conducted by the Arroba teams of the armed institution, specialised in cybercrimes, uncovered that the funds had been moved to multiple bank accounts held by companies before being transferred to others located in Eastern countries.
The Civil Guard also discovered that both the identities of the company owners and the firms themselves were fabricated, apparently established to facilitate the transfer of significant amounts of money without arousing suspicion.
Victims across various provinces
The investigation has successfully identified more than a dozen victims in the provinces of Madrid, Valencia, Guipúzcoa, Tenerife, Mallorca, and Córdoba, who were ensnared using the same method.
The Blokil operation has resulted in the clarification of eleven cases of fraud alongside ongoing cases of document forgery and money laundering, collectively valued at 1,300,000 euros.
The arrested individual and the subsequent proceedings have been handed over to the Investigative Court of Totana (Murcia).
