Spanish police bust gambling money laundering ring exploiting Ukrainian war refugees

Spanish police have arrested 12 folks accused of operating a prison community that washed hundreds of thousands of euros via online gambling platforms whereas exploiting Ukrainian ladies who had fled the conflict.

The arrests got here after a world investigation coordinated by Europol. Authorities say the group constructed a posh monetary setup that used playing techniques and financial institution accounts to disguise unlawful earnings.

Coordinated motion days in June 2025 led to eight arrests in Alicante and 4 extra in Valencia. Investigators additionally carried out searches in Ukraine through the operation.

In complete, officers searched 9 properties throughout Spain and one other eight in Ukraine. Throughout these raids, police seized digital gear, money and different instruments believed to have been used to handle the laundering scheme.

Investigators say the group centered its operation on on-line betting accounts funded with financial institution playing cards linked to accounts opened in Spain.

In response to authorities, Ukrainian ladies who had acquired short-term safety after fleeing the conflict had been transported to Spain and brought to banks to open accounts. As soon as these accounts had been established, the ladies had been despatched again to Ukraine whereas the suspects saved management of the monetary entry created of their names.

The accounts later grew to become the spine of the money-laundering operation.

Playing platforms grew to become laundering pipeline for worldwide fraud community involving Ukrainian refugees

Police say the suspects related bank cards issued to the financial institution accounts with profiles on on-line playing platforms. A few of these betting accounts had been created utilizing stolen identities belonging to Spanish residents. Others relied on the identities of the Ukrainian ladies whose accounts had already been opened.

From there, the group used automated software program to put bets and transfer cash between playing accounts. Investigators consider the fixed betting exercise helped cycle illicit funds via the platforms earlier than the cash was withdrawn as what gave the impression to be authentic playing winnings.

Authorities estimate the community deposited greater than €2.7 million ($3.1 million) into betting platforms and finally withdrew greater than €4.7 million ($5.4 million). Investigators consider the operation in the end produced roughly €4.75 ($5.5 million) million in revenue.

The case additionally uncovered a a lot wider net of monetary fraud. Investigators recognized greater than 3,000 stolen bank cards and over 5,000 stolen identities related to the scheme, spanning a minimum of 17 nationalities.

Regulation enforcement companies additionally recognized or blocked 153 financial institution accounts throughout 11 international locations.

Throughout searches, officers seized 88 cellphones, 20 computer systems, about 500 SIM playing cards and 4 autos. Police additionally confiscated roughly €73,000 and $4,200 in money together with round €200,000 value of cryptocurrency. Authorities mentioned they recovered 22 automated instruments used to run the betting exercise.

Europol helped coordinate intelligence sharing between international locations and deployed specialists to help through the motion days.The operation comes as European authorities step up scrutiny of on-line playing techniques. Current Europol-supported raids concentrating on unlawful betting networks have stretched past Spain to different countries including Sweden. In Ukraine, regulators have additionally moved to clamp down on illicit playing exercise, just lately blocking 371 illegal gambling websites amid ongoing regulatory uncertainty.

Featured picture: Canva

The publish Spanish police bust gambling money laundering ring exploiting Ukrainian war refugees appeared first on ReadWrite.

Source link