One of the biggest cryptocurrency investment scammers in Europe arrested in Valencia | Economy

The Civil Guard has arrested in Valencia one of the biggest scammers with false investments in cryptocurrencies in Europe, a 45-year-old man of Portuguese nationality, who has been blocked with assets of more than 2.5 million euros, as reported the armed institute itself.

The detainee is charged with seven crimes of fraud and money laundering, for creating an alleged platform for investments in cryptocurrencies on a website, which he made known through various forums, radio programs, sporting events and even charitable movements, to thus, to attract the attention and investment of many people in Spain and Portugal. The operation began last August, after the agents learned of the events through collaboration with private security.

The platform offered a minimum return of 2.5% per week to investors depending on the amount they contributed, eventually acquiring roles and thus being able to attract other investors. This method is known as “schema ponzi”, A type of scam that tries to mislead the injured parties, who believe that the profits obtained come from a legal activity, although the funds originate from other deceived investors, as explained by the Civil Guard.

In this way, the investment in cryptocurrencies was a success, so the victims invested greater amounts of money and attracted more investors. The investments made by the victims were used by the detainee to lead a high standard of living by buying high-end vehicles, trips or meals.

As a result of the investigations, it was possible to identify several victims in Spain and it was discovered that the detainee had managed to commit a crime in Luxembourg, Switzerland and Portugal. On December 2, three entries and searches were carried out at the home of the detainee, at the company’s headquarters and a workshop where part of the assets were hidden, explains the Civil Guard.

13 high-end vehicles

In addition, several bank accounts and the web pages for accessing the platform and the pages where it was advertised have been blocked, as well as the confiscation of various documentation and electronic devices (computers, tablets, mobile phones and USB wallets. cryptocurrencies).

Likewise, 13 vehicles have been blocked and another seven intervened, all of them high-end, with a total blocked assets, between vehicles and bank accounts, of more than two and a half million euros.

The proceedings have been delivered to the Examining Court number 3 of Valencia after the operation carried out by agents of the Technological Investigations Team (EDITE) and the Economic Crimes Team of the UOPJ (Organic Unit of the Judicial Police) of the Command of the Valencia Civil Guard, which have had the collaboration of Europol.