The Dutch Police announced the arrest of multiple individuals suspected of being part of an international investment fraud scheme estimated to have tens of thousands of victims.
The group is believed to have operated 20 call centers, with more than 700 people posing as financial advisers. Authorities estimate that the criminal organization at one point made more than 100 million euros ($114 million) per month.
The call centers were located in different places across multiple countries, and each hosted several teams with distinct roles and targeting focuses.
The main suspect is a 46-year-old Israeli-Polish national, who was arrested in Poland on May 26. The man was extradited to the Netherlands and placed in detention for two weeks pending trial.
“Publicly available online information shows that he was previously prosecuted for hacking several prominent foreign government organizations and is said to be a well-known hacker,” the Dutch Politie says.
