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ARCHIVED - Benidorm gang pose as police to fleece Russian businessman out of 500,000 euros
The fake cops told the Costa Banca businessman he was subject to a bogus Interpol arrest warrant
A "dangerous" Benidorm gang posed as Guardia Civil officers to con a Russian businessman out of 500,000 euros in bitcoin. They told the victim he was wanted by authorities in his country and a huge payment in bitcoin could make the Interpol arrest warrant disappear.
Eight people, including a lawyer in Alicante have been arrested by the National Police.
The businessman's ordeal began when he was reportedly pulled over by two alleged Guardia Civil officers following a meeting with acquaintances. They told him an arrest warrant had been issued against him by the Russian Federation.
The victim was driven to Alicante to meet with a lawyer who "specialised" in these types of situations and who allegedly had close contacts with police and other institutions.
The lawyer said he could make the arrest and extradition warrant disappear by bribing officials with half a million in bitcoins and the businessman gave the gang several cryptocurrency wallets. When he realised he had been conned, it was too late and the bitcoin had been transferred.
The victim then filed a complaint with the National Police prompting a 10-month investigation that uncovered a criminal gang that police have described as both "highly professional" and "dangerous".
During the probe, police discovered the group was perfectly structured, and led by a man known as 'The Sheriff' who posed as a senior figure in the National Intelligence Centre, and also claimed to be the father of a senior ranking Guardia Civil officer.
Six other gang members also posed as Guardia Civil.
Police inquiries unearthed a further attempt to extort another criminal group of foreign nationals who were allegedly involved in smuggling large consignments of hashish by sea.
Again, the gang pretended to be Guardia Civil and demanded a large sum of money to allow them to smuggle their merchandise "quietly", but their attempts were foiled and the traffickers fled.
They were also in the process of extorting money from another lawyer in Alicante after finding out he had racked up a significant drug debt. The solicitor was told several hitmen had been sent to the city to collect the debt, but they had been arrested, and that, for a large amount of money, the gang could protect him.
Arrests were made in Benidorm and at a printing shop in Alicante where the Guardia Civil uniforms were produced, and the detainees have been charged with illegal detention, usurpation of public functions, fraud, extortion and membership of a criminal group.
Image: interior.gob.es
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