The Civil Guard uncovers a pyramidal scam of more than 4 million euros


The Civil Guard uncovers a pyramidal scam of more than 4 million euros

The leader of the group, "a historical con artist", earned the trust of her circle by posing as a millionaire heiress to the King Emeritus

10 people have been arrested and 2 investigated and 10 bank accounts used to launder profits have been seized

More than a hundred injured have been located by researchers and it is estimated that there are many more

The Civil Guard within the framework of the operation "opportunity 2020" has dismantled a criminal organization that is attributed the responsibility of a million-dollar pyramid scam, in addition to the crimes of misappropriation, money laundering, document falsification, and belonging to criminal organization. 10 people have been arrested, including the leader of this gang and a well-known "historical con artist" and 2 investigated.

8 searches have been made in homes in different towns in the province of Alicante, where 60,000 euros in cash have been seized, numerous pieces of high jewelery valued at 50,000 euros, two high-end vehicles, and a large number of technological devices. 10 bank accounts used by the organization to launder the profits they obtained have also been intervened and blocked.

This disjointed group operated in the provinces of Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Tarragona and Alicante and in some European countries such as the Czech Republic and Sweden. They maintained their operations center in the town of Guardamar del Segura (Alicante).
The Civil Guard has already located more than one hundred injured, whom the organization has defrauded more than 4 million euros. The operation remains open and it is not ruled out that more victims of this criminal group could be located.

Low-priced real estate offers for potential investors

The members of this criminal group searched the Internet for real estate properties of various kinds for sale. They then offered their acquisition to potential investors as a bargain, at approximately 20% of its market value, and presented it as a great market opportunity. If they were interested, they had to make a reservation immediately, without even visiting the property.
Once the victim decided to make the purchase, the criminal group formalized the reservation of the property with the real estate agency or promoter that was actually advertising the sale, to guarantee temporary ownership, while the scammed paid them the total property immediately .
The supposed price of the houses ranged between 25,000 and 40,000 euros. When the authors charged, the acquisition of the property did not materialize, and they disappeared without returning to the victim what he had paid them. They used fictitious identities or usurped third parties to commit the different crimes.
They operated in Spain (in the provinces of Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Tarragona and Alicante) and in some European countries (specifically, the Czech Republic and Sweden), from their operations center, located in the town of Guardamar del Segura (Alicante).

Illegitimate daughter of Franco or King Emeritus

The criminal organization was highly hierarchical. The leader of the group is a 50-year-old Spanish woman, popularly known by investigators for more than two decades for her numerous antecedents, and who has served prison time for previous scams.
This woman who suffers from a physical handicap for which she needs to use a wheelchair and is dependent, posed as the illegitimate daughter of Franco or the King Emeritus, she earned the appreciation and compassion of her friends and acquaintances to capture her victims , to whom she told that she is the heir to great fortunes.
She had a high lifestyle and had more than fifteen employees who performed all kinds of personal services for her.
In the houses occupied by the main members of the gang, they had installed an important security and surveillance system, including in some houses the presence of guard dogs of potentially dangerous breeds.

Fictitious Law Firm

They had a law firm in Guardamar del Segura (Alicante), for which professional lawyers worked. However, it was a cover, which had no other activity than managing scams.
The Civil Guard agents in charge of the investigation have been able to verify how this criminal gang in just eight months of activity, since its installation in the province of Alicante, has laundered almost one and a half million euros, exclusively by bank transfer. Most of the property installments had been made by cash scammers.
Part of the money collected with the illicit activity was used to acquire high jewelry and other luxury objects. One of those harmed is a jewelry store that, using the Nazarene scam method, the band had cheated more than 20,000 euros.
The personnel employed in the service of the members of the organization received salaries of 4,000 euros per month. However, even they were scammed, even asking for loans to buy some of the homes on offer.
The operation has been coordinated by the Torrevieja Investigating Court, and developed by agents of the Civil Guard of the Alicante Command.

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