The Civil Guard, in a joint operation with the German Polizei and the Italian Anti-Mafia Investigative Direzione, has arrested two people accused of defrauding 146 million euros from 4,200 citizens of German nationality through a consumer cooperative, and has carried out six records in the town of Capdepera, in Mallorca.
Operation Kruguer has been coordinated by Europol and has ended with the arrest in Germany of the main person responsible for the fraud. 19 searches were carried out there, while the other six were carried out in the Balearic Islands and one in Poland.
In the homes and offices inspected in Spain, under the direction of the Balearic Islands Prosecutor’s Office for International Judicial Cooperation, the agents seized a lot of documentation related to the fraud investigated. Likewise, in a home they found a short weapon, digital storage devices, jewelry and watches of great economic value.
Through a consumer cooperative, the detainees orchestrated a fraudulent scheme that promised its members a lucrative interest rate on the shares purchased. In addition, it offered those affected advantages in their daily lives through cooperation with business partners.
The investigation began following a European investigation order for embezzlement, investment fraud and money laundering. It was discovered how the members’ money was transferred to companies of dubious liquidity and a network of Spanish companies linked to the accused.
