Title: Forty Suspected Gang Members Arrested in Dominican Republic for Large-Scale Internet Banking Fraud
Operation to Dismantle Los Trinitarios Gang’s Criminal Network
Spanish law enforcement authorities announced the arrest of forty individuals, including fifteen suspected violent gang members and two hackers, in a major operation to dismantle the criminal network of the Los Trinitarios gang in the Dominican Republic.
- Forty individuals arrested, including sixteen Dominican Nationals and fifteen Spanish Nationals
- Fiveteen suspected violent gang members and two hackers among the detainees
Evidence Seized in the Operation
Extensive evidence was seized during the operation, including:
- Lists of over 300,000 defrauded individuals
- 53 fraudulently obtained bank cards
- Computer equipment
- Lockpicks and padlocks
Charges Faced by the Detainees
The detainees are now facing charges for:
- Belonging to a criminal organization
- Bank fraud
- Documentary falsification
- Identity theft
- Money laundering
Funding Criminal Activities with Stolen Funds
The Los Trinitarios gang used the illegally obtained funds for various purposes:
- Funding lawyers’ fees for jailed members
- Paying membership fees
- Obtaining drugs for resale
- Purchasing weapons
Methods of Fraud and Scams
The fraudsters employed IT tools and business logistics to conduct scams:
- Gained access to victims’ private bank details using a computer program obtained from cybercriminals.
- Visited a fake website mimicking the appearance of legitimate financial institutions to steal customer data and passwords.
- Exploited the stolen customer data and passwords to commit various types of fraud, such as requesting unauthorized bank loans and transferring proceeds to bank accounts abroad for purchasing real estate in the Dominican Republic.
Roles of the Two Hackers and Violent Members
- The two hackers within the group designed and implemented the scams, exploiting vulnerabilities in the financial institutions’ systems.
- The violent members of the gang ensured that the criminal organization’s operations ran smoothly and dealt with rival groups through confrontations.
Significant Breakthrough in Combating Cybercrime and Organized Criminal Activities
The arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the efforts to combat cybercrime and organized criminal activities in the Dominican Republic.
- Spanish National Police and Dominican National Police are collaborating on the ongoing investigation.
Public Urged to Remain Vigilant and report Suspicious Activity
The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Best Practices for Securing Online Accounts
- Use strong and unique passwords
- Enable multifactor authentication for online accounts
Financial Institutions Advised to Prioritize Cybersecurity
Financial institutions are advised to prioritize cybersecurity and invest in robust systems to protect their customers’ data.