OJO GOKK and BJB join Eurojust–Europol operation, dismantle online investment fraud network

The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption (the OJO GOKK) and the Bureau for Public Security (BJB) took part in a coordinated international operation that dismantled a transnational online investment fraud network, authorities said.

Investigation, arrests and seizures

Law-enforcement bodies from several countries carried out synchronized actions that resulted in the arrest of seven suspects, searches at 17 locations and the seizure of more than 100 servers and other electronic evidence. The combined financial damage from the scams has been estimated at over four million euros, and potential victims were identified in at least 50 countries.

The operation was supported and coordinated by Europol and Eurojust, with participating authorities from Germany, Cyprus, Finland, Albania, Israel, Kosovo and North Macedonia. According to the joint case file, the probe began in 2022 after a German couple reported that they had invested their savings through an online platform but could not withdraw their profits.

Investigators found that the perpetrators promised large, rapid returns through trading in cryptocurrencies, foreign exchange and shares. "After victims deposited a small amount of money, a large profit was shown to them, making the platform appear legitimate," the statement said.

Those running the scheme used psychological pressure to push victims into investing additional sums and applied delay tactics when victims tried to withdraw funds. After an initial operation at the beginning of September — described as the first strike after a four‑year probe — two suspects were arrested and a significant volume of evidence was seized. "After analysis of this evidence, investigators identified seven further suspects, including call‑centre managers who had been used to persuade victims to invest more money," the statement adds.

Further analysis showed that an entity with operations based in Cyprus and Israel supplied fake websites used by criminal groups to carry out the online scams. National authorities also identified suspected clients of that company in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia who are believed to have operated fraudulent call centres. Seven suspects have been detained pending surrender or extradition to Germany.

Europol and Eurojust played central roles in the case: Eurojust helped execute European arrest and asset-freezing orders and coordinated judicial actions from its headquarters in The Hague, while Europol provided analytical support, compared data with its databases and deployed experts to Albania and Kosovo to assist with digital forensics and immediate database checks on the day of the operation.

Photo: Arhiva