Title: Albanian Call Center Arrests: 14 Suspects Charged in €4.7M Online Fraud Targeting Italians
Overview
- Albanian authorities issue arrest warrants for 14 individuals in connection to a call center scam that defrauded Italian citizens of €4.7 million.
- The operation, named “Dream Earnings,” is a collaborative effort between the Albanian Special Prosecution Office against Organized Crime (SPAK) and the Italian prosecution office in Pordenone.
Fraud Details
- 140 complaints from defrauded Italian citizens were recorded, with total losses reaching €4.7 million.
- The call center, located on “Dritan Hoxha” street in Tirana, used persuasive techniques to trick victims into investing in offshore accounts.
Scam Modus Operandi
- Convincing victims to invest small sums
- Encouraging larger investments for the prospect of escalating returns
- Diverting gains into cryptocurrencies and untraceable foreign accounts for money laundering
Money Laundering and Seizure
- Investigations revealed that laundered money was routed through multiple countries including Cyprus, Lithuania, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Germany.
- Bitcoin (cryptocurrency) was deposited into unknown portfolios, erasing traces of the money.
- 12 residential properties were seized, leading to confiscation of computer devices, phones, laptops, USBs, and Bitcoin mining equipment.
Key Suspect Apprehension
- Nine suspects are subject to pre-trial detention.
- The remaining five suspects are under house arrest.