In Madrid, National Police officers have arrested a man suspected of being involved in a complex fraud scheme. According to the investigation, he posed as a senior employee of the Archdiocese of Pamplona and managed to extract €3,000 from a resident of Navarre. The scammer convinced his victim that she was entitled to a large monetary payout, but to receive it, she had to pay a commission.
Believing the convincing story, the victim transferred the requested amount to the specified account. However, after that, the fraudster stopped responding and began demanding additional payments, citing alleged complications with the transfer of funds. When the victim refused to continue communicating, she contacted the bank, where she was informed that she may have fallen victim to a scam.
During the investigation, it was discovered that another transfer had previously been made to the same bank account—€1,300. This money was sent by another person who tried to rent an apartment in Zamora via a popular real estate rental app. After paying the rent and deposit, contact with the “landlord” was also lost, and the promised meeting to hand over the keys never took place.
An analysis of the financial transactions revealed that both cases were linked to the same scheme. The detainee acted as a so-called ‘mule’—a person who provides their bank account details for transferring and further distributing stolen funds. Such participants receive a commission from the total amount, helping the organizers of the criminal group cover up traces of illegal activity.
After identifying the suspect, police issued a nationwide search. The man was soon apprehended in Madrid. He is now in judicial custody, and the court will determine further preventive measures.
