Category: Italy

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Eurojust helps tackle massive fraud of EUR 645 million with medicinal cannabis plants across Europe

Source: Eurojust

In Germany, France and Spain alone, over 4 500 victims have lodged formal complaints against the fraudsters, who set up a crowd-funding programme to raise a minimum of EUR 50 per investor for the development of medicinal cannabis plants. In reality, no cannabis plants were ever bought, although the organisers of the scheme pretended to work with legitimate and licensed enterprises that would cultivate them. The fraud ran from at least January 2020 to July 2022.

The entire scheme had the character of a pyramid or ‘Ponzi fraud’ and promised extremely high returns on investment. Investigations in Germany and Spain, later followed by counterparts in other countries across Europe, showed that investors had been only partially paid.

Most of the invested money was used to pay affiliates, keep the scheme running and expand the fraud through extensive online campaigns. For this purpose and to launder the proceeds, a web of international enterprises was used. The scheme itself appears to have been run by a Russian criminal network, with an affiliated German-based crime group.

Victims in Germany and Spain claim to have lost at least EUR 51.5 million, but the total investment is estimated to be close to EUR 645 million. In total, around 550 000 participants worldwide were registered as online investors, most of them European citizens. Around 186 000 participants transferred funds, either via cryptocurrencies or bank transfers.

Since 2022, Eurojust has been extensively supporting the national authorities, including assisting the German, Spanish and French authorities in setting up and funding the JIT. This led to a successful Joint Action Day coordinated at Eurojust.

At the request of the German and Spanish authorities, in recent days operational actions against the criminal networks were also carried out in Estonia, Latvia, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic. The French authorities made a decisive contribution to the analysis of crypto flows during the investigations and took part in searches in Germany and Spain on the action day.

Europol supported this massive cross-border investigation from the outset, taking the lead in operational coordination and providing tailored analytical support. Furthermore, Europol shared results of the financial investigations as well as other intelligence with the involved countries. On the action day, Europol deployed officers with mobile offices to various locations worldwide.

During the action days, over thirty places were also searched and for several millions of Euros in crypto assets and bank accounts were frozen. Also real estate properties, luxury vehicles, artwork, cash and various luxury items were seized, as well as large numbers of electronic devices and documents.

The operations were carried out on the ground at request of and by:

  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Berlin; Criminal Investigation Department Berlin (LKA)
  • Spain: Central Investigative Judge no. 6 at the Audiencia Nacional; National Police (Policia Nacional – UDEF Central Brigade against Economic Crime, Financial Fraud Group)
  • France: Paris’ Prosecutor’s Office JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime); Gendarmerie Nationale (Research Section Rennes)
  • Estonia: Office of the Prosecutor General; Police and Border Guard Board
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office; International Cooperation Department and Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Italy: Postal Police Service of the National Police – Operational Section for Cyber Security, Macerata, and Operational Centre for Cybersecurity of Marche
  • Malta: Malta Police Force – International Relations Unit
  • Poland: Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Jelenia Góra, Lublin, Warsaw, Warsaw Praga and Wrocław; Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime
  • Portugal: Central Public Prosecutor’s Office Lisbon (DCIAP); Judicial Police (Policia Judiciária)United Kingdom: National Crime Agency
  • United Kingdom: National Crime Agency
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Support to arrest 22 suspects forcing female victims into prostitution

Source: Eurojust

Specific members of the OCG used the so-called ‘lover boy’ method, pretending to engage personally with women from a poor background in Bulgaria and other countries in Eastern Europe and promising them good job opportunities in Italy. In reality, their passports were taken away and the victims were forced into prostitution in Italy in dire conditions.

The OCG had a clear division of roles, with certain members being responsible for luring the victims to Italy and others taking care of transport and controlling them, occasionally under extreme duress.

The Italian authorities started investigating the OCG in 2021, and a year later Eurojust was contacted to coordinate the cooperation with their counterparts in Bulgaria, via the National Desks of both countries at the Agency.

Eurojust provided support with the execution of European Investigations Orders and requests for Mutual Legal Assistance, as well as the setting up of a coordination meeting. During the joint action day, assistance was also provided to the three competent Bulgarian Prosecution Offices in order to rapidly execute European Arrest Warrants for seven of the suspects, who were residing in Bulgaria.

The tracing and arrest activities in Bulgaria were carried out via the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams, specifically by the Bulgarian team, upon activation by their counterparts in Italy, which provided constant information.

The operations on the ground were carried out at the request of and by:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Lecce; Italian State Police HQ of Lecce; Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) Italy, at the Service for International Police Cooperation (SCIP) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • Bulgaria: FAST Bulgaria, at the General Directorate of the National Police – Wanted and Missing Persons Unit.
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Support to halt money laundering in Italy via tax fraud and fake invoices

Source: Eurojust

Eurojust has supported judicial authorities in Italy, Portugal and Spain in halting an elaborate money-laundering scheme via tax fraud. In a coordinated operation, five suspects have been arrested in Italy and Spain for laundering illicit criminal proceeds by committing VAT fraud on the alleged import of frozen fish from Portugal and Spain. The main suspect is associated with the Cosa Nostra mafia-type criminal organisation.

© – Guardia di Finanza

In a recent operation, approximately EUR 3.3 million in cash, luxury vehicles and jewellery were seized. This includes the seizing of cash and blocking of bank accounts worth around EUR 600 000 by the Spanish authorities. In total, twelve individuals are currently under investigation by the Italian authorities, including the five suspects who were detained.

The suspects were allegedly involved in a criminal network that laundered money via a complex tax fraud scheme, using fake invoices and avoiding the payment of VAT to the Italian authorities. For this purpose, an enterprise for the importing of frozen fish products from Portugal and Spain was set up. They are now formally suspected of money laundering, tax fraud, criminal association and the fraudulent transfer of valuables.

Eurojust assisted with the execution of European Arrest Warrants and European Investigation Orders, as well as freezing orders, via the National Desks of Italy, Portugal and Spain. The operations on the ground were carried out at the request of and supported by the following authorities:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Genoa; Guardia di Finanza (Central Service for Investigation on Organised Crime – SCICO)
  • Portugal: DCIAP (Departamento Central de Investigação e Acção Penal); TCIC (Tribunal Central de Instrução Criminal)
  • Spain: Investigative Judge no. 4 Vigo (Juzgado Instruccion no. 4): Audiencia Nacional Pulbic Prosecutor (Fiscalia Audiencia Nacional); UDEF Policia Nacional and Catalan Mossos d’Esquadra
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Full-scale action against EUR 2 billion money laundering network via Lithuanian financial institution

Source: Eurojust

During an action day on 27 February, around 250 judicial representatives and law enforcement officers were active on the ground. In total 18 persons have been arrested, including the three main suspects. In total 55 places were searched and over EUR 11.5 million in assets and bank accounts have been frozen. Eurojust and Europol played pivotal roles in facilitating and coordinating the international activities.

The financial institution offered money laundering as a service to thousands of criminals across the EU, by making fictitious financial transactions via the web of enterprises, which were run by strawmen. It advertised its alleged consultancy services online and was set up in Lithuania in 2016 by an Italian-based OCG.

The financial institution was led by the two main suspects, who resided in Lithuania and Latvia. The OCG laundered the proceedings of a range of criminal activities, including tax evasion, cyber fraud, fake bankruptcy and organised crime such as drug trafficking. Part of the proceeds were injected into the Latvian and Lithuanian economies via the purchase of real estate and luxury vehicles.

The laundered money included the EUR 15 million from unlawfully obtained so-called building bonuses, provided by the Italian national authorities. These bonuses were given for renovation and insulation works and other energy-saving measures of existing buildings. In reality, no repairs took place, the applicants were not the owners or the buildings did not even exist. The main perpetrator of this fraud was a practising tax consultant, who arranged the awarding of bonuses for 72 other individuals who were aware of the abuse.

Investigations into the OCG were initiated in 2021 by the Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Naples and Lecce in Italy, involving their counterparts in Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 via Eurojust.

In 2022, the financial and judicial authorities in Lithuania already closed down the electronic payment institution. Its banking licence was revoked and bankruptcy procedures were started for non-compliance with money laundering prevention regulations. A rapid reaction of Latvian and Lithuanian authorities to reports on suspicious transactions led to the identification and freezing of millions in funds, real estate properties and luxury vehicles, which now can be confiscated.

During the same year, Eurojust supported the setting up and funding of a joint investigation team between all national authorities involved. Eurojust also set up a coordination centre to support the simultaneous actions in the three countries.

urthermore, Eurojust organised eight coordination meetings to prepare for the simultaneous actions of the Italian, Latvian and Lithuanian authorities. These preparations also prevented potential conflicts of jurisdiction. Eurojust has also already facilitated the restitution to Italy of over EUR 3 million of the illegally obtained public funds, which have been frozen by the Lithuanian authorities.

Europol has been supporting the case since January 2022, working closely with the national investigators to uncover the magnitude and complexity of the activities carried out by the OCG. During the action day, two Europol experts were deployed to Latvia to support the authorities with their investigative measures. A third Europol specialist was deployed to the coordination centre at Eurojust, with an analyst on hand at Europol’s headquarters to handle the contributions shared via Europol’s secure communication channels.

The operations against the OCG are the result of long-term intensive cooperation across Europe of the three countries involved. Eurojust Vice-President and National Member for Lithuania, Ms Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė, acting National Member for Italy, Mr Aldo Ingangi, and National Member for Latvia, Ms Dagmāra Skudra, jointly stated: This collaboration really shows the importance of a well-coordinated and prepared approach across Europe. It is a clear example of the role Eurojust plays in transnational judicial cooperation and shows criminal networks, such as the one we tackled, that we know no borders either. We will continue to work closely together to get justice done and take on fraud involving public funds.

The actions in the three countries were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Naples and Lecce; Guardia di Finanza of Naples and Lecce
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office, Rīga Judicial Region Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of the Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Public Prosecutor’s Office; Vilnius County Police Headquarters
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Over 100 searches and four arrests in Latvia, Germany, France, Italy and Malta against financial institution involved in money laundering

Source: Eurojust

National authorities in Latvia, Germany, France, Italy and Malta have carried out over 100 searches in a large-scale operation against a Russian-Eurasian criminal network and a Maltese-based financial institution allegedly involved in money-laundering services. Four suspects were detained during an action day supported by Eurojust and Europol. Potential suspects and witnesses were also interviewed in Latvia, Germany, Estonia and Malta.

During the actions, over 460 police officers were deployed to carry out the searches. Germany also deployed four officers to support the investigations and searches in Latvia and Malta. In addition to the arrests, various bank accounts and properties were seized.

The Maltese financial institution laundered at least EUR 4.5 million in proceedings from criminal activities since end of 2015. The total sum of laundered money could amount to tens of millions of euros. The financial institution and organised crime group (OCG) behind it offered money-laundering services via a network of fake enterprises and individuals who were registered directors, without performing any real business activities.

The OCG operated mainly from Riga and Berlin. Investigations were initiated in 2021 by the Latvian authorities after they noticed unusual money transfers from Latvia to the Maltese financial institution. Simultaneously, the German authorities had started investigations into suspicious money flows involving the same financial institution.

Eurojust supported today’s concerted action by setting up a coordination centre and establishing and funding a joint investigation team between the German and Latvian authorities. The Agency also organised five dedicated coordination meetings to prepare for the action day and assisted with the execution of European Investigation Orders in the countries involved.

On the action day, Europol deployed a money laundering expert to Latvia and set up a mobile office at Eurojust’s coordination centre to support the operation. Since December 2021, Europol has been supporting the investigation by providing operational and financial analysis and operational expertise. The Agency also supported the joint investigation team and provided financial support to the case.

Today’s operations were carried out by the following authorities:

  • Latvia: Rīga Northern Prosecution Office; Rīga Judicial Region Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of the Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor‘s Office Berlin (Staatsanwaltschaft Berlin); State Office of Criminal Investigations Berlin (Landeskriminalamt Berlin)
  • Estonia: Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Estonia and Estonian Police and Border Guard Board
  • France: Public Prosecutor’s Office and Investigative Judge – Judicial Court of Nice; National Police (DIPN) Alpes-Maritimes Division (Judicial Police Nice; Research and Intervention Brigade; Financial Brigade) – Border Police
  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Rome; Guardia di Finanza, Financial Police Unit Rome (Nucleo Polizia Economica e Finanziaria di Roma)
  • Malta: Financial Crimes Investigations Department and Asset Recovery Bureau of the Malta Police
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Historic religious statue returns to Italy with support of Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

The historic Italian statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which holds great religious importance, has been returned to Italy from the Netherlands with judicial support from Eurojust. The religious artefact was stolen in 2014 from a church in Pastena on the Amalfi Coast and later bought by a Dutch collector. The Agency assisted the Italian authorities with the rapid execution of a European Investigation Order (EIO) to arrange for its return to the Pastena parish.

The statue, which is around 700 years old, was stolen from the church in August 2014 and offered for sale via an Italian antique dealer. It was bought in good faith by a Dutch collector who intended to resell it and posted pictures on social media. These were spotted by the parish priest of Pastena, who contacted the Italian authorities. 

An investigation was launched by the special Cultural Heritage Unit of the Italian Carabinieri and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Salerno, which later contacted Eurojust to initiate the process of retrieving and returning the artefact to the Amalfi Coast. The Agency not only assisted with the execution of the EIO but also provided further cross-border judicial support to the authorities in Italy and the Netherlands. The transfer of the statue took place in recent days. 

The operations were carried out at the request and with the support of:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Salerno; Cultural Heritage Unit of the Carabinieri
  • The Netherlands: Centre for International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, East Netherlands; Team for Legal Assistance of the National Police, East Netherlands