Police target major online gambling fraud operation in Spain
Europol says criminals used bots and stolen identities to place thousands of bets on gambling platforms while exploiting women displaced by the war in Ukraine
Spain.- A joint operation between Spanish and Ukrainian law enforcement has reportedly broken up an alleged criminal organisation that operated a sophisticated online gambling fraud. Authorities say the group exploited women displaced by the war in Ukraine to launder close to €4.75m.
The joint investigation was launched in October 2023. Nine properties have been searched in Alicante and Valencia and 12 people have been arrested. Authorities also searched eight locations in Ukraine, seizing dozens of mobile phones, 20 computers, 22 automated bots, four luxury vehicles and 500 SIM cards. They froze ten properties worth over €2m and blocked accounts in 11 countries holding more than €470,000.
Europol reported that the network deliberately targeted young women from regions of Ukraine with heavy conflict. Recruitment teams arranged their travel to Spain, where the group maintained control over them.
Once in Spain, the victims were steered through the process of applying for temporary protection at official reception centres. They were then pressured into opening bank accounts and credit cards, which were seized by the criminal group.
The accounts were then allegedly used for a highly automated fraud system through which bot software placed thousands of simultaneous low-odds bets on gambling platforms using stolen identities from more than 5,000 people of 17 nationalities. By focusing on low-risk wagers, the group generated steady profits that appeared legitimate, enabling them to launder the proceeds.
