Spanish authorities have apprehended six individuals behind an elaborate cryptocurrency fraud that netted more than €19 million ($20.5 million). This daring fraud involved AI-generated deepfake endorsements by celebrities and managed to deceive the same victims thrice over.
The joint effort by Spain’s National Police and Civil Guard resulted in arrests in the provinces of Granada and Alicante, just as the alleged mastermind was planning a getaway to Dubai. The suspects, ranging in age from 34 to 57, are now facing charges of fraud, money laundering, and document forgery.
The fraudsters didn’t stop at a single scam. After initially swindling victims with bogus investment schemes, they later posed as recovery agents, offering to retrieve the stolen funds for a fee. They then made a third approach, impersonating Europol agents claiming “tax payments” were required to release the supposedly recovered money.
A total of 208 fraud crimes have been identified during the investigation, and over €100,000 of the stolen money has been temporarily frozen, according to the Spanish police.
The complex scam began with AI-manipulated advertisements featuring popular Spanish personalities endorsing “risk-free” cryptocurrency investments with incredible returns. Targeting specific victim profiles, the scammers initially delivered small profits to gain trust. However, when victims tried to cash out larger investments, they faced problems.
Victims were contacted again by the fraudsters, who claimed the money was blocked but could be recovered with an additional deposit. In a final twist, the victims were contacted by someone posing as a Europol agent or UK lawyer claiming to have “recovered” their money, but taxes needed to be paid before the funds could be released.
The biggest victim from Granada lost €624,000 through this multi-layered deception, which initiated the investigation over two years ago.
The fraudsters went to great lengths to hide their identities and launder their stolen money, using more than 50 different personas and establishing a network of shell companies throughout Spain.
The scammers used AI technology to create convincing deepfake videos of celebrities endorsing the fraudulent investment platforms, making this scam particularly effective. So far, only about €100,000 of the stolen funds have been blocked, a minute portion of the €19 million stolen from 208 victims.
The investigation is ongoing, with more suspects identified in other countries. Spanish police are urging the public to exercise extreme caution with investment opportunities, especially those featuring celebrity endorsements or promising guaranteed returns.
