Police Uncover Major Extortion Ring in Valencia: Over 500 Victims. In Valencia, police have arrested 40 individuals linked to widespread extortion schemes conducted online. Victims were threatened with violence and exposure of personal information unless they transferred money. The organizers obtained data from clients of an underground brothel.
In Valencia, police carried out a large-scale operation against an organized group that extorted money from hundreds of people across Spain. According to the investigation, the perpetrators posted fake ads online offering intimate services, and after obtaining the contact details of those who responded, began threatening them and their families. Victims were told they were allegedly being watched and were demanded to transfer money to avoid “problems.”
The extortion scheme
The organizers of the scheme, the three main suspects, not only placed internet ads but also purchased clients’ personal data from the owners of an underground brothel in Fuerteventura. For 50 euros, they were given visitors’ names and phone numbers, which allowed them to expand their pool of victims. The extortionists thoroughly studied social media profiles to intimidate people convincingly, and claimed to have complete information about each person’s life and family.
During phone calls, the perpetrators demanded payment for the “damages” for the women’s wasted time or a “debt” owed to the establishment. If the person agreed, the amounts demanded only increased. In some cases, victims were sent photos of weapons or of their relatives to increase the pressure. According to police, not a single threat was actually carried out, but the psychological pressure drove some victims to despair.
Investigation details
As part of Operation 'Zarza', 40 people have been detained: 38 members of the extortion group and a couple suspected of human trafficking. Seven suspects have already been arrested. The investigation found that the criminals used front men to open accounts for receiving transfers, and laundered money through marijuana cultivation and organizing cockfights. During searches, three clandestine plantations and 11 fighting cocks were discovered.
Police note that not only actual clients fell victim, but also random people who dialed the number by mistake. In one case, a victim transferred 5,000 euros to the extortionists. A total of 80 episodes have been documented, but the overall number of victims is estimated at 500 people. The case is being heard by the Castellón court.
Consequences and rescue of victims
During the investigation, three women were freed who had been held captive in a brothel in Fuerteventura. According to police, they were lured with false job offers. The organizers of the underground business have also been detained and face charges of human trafficking and exploitation.
The psychological pressure exerted on the victims was so intense that some were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The extortionists instructed them on how to take out loans or circumvent banking restrictions to continue making payments. According to investigators, the criminals showed no pity and sought to extract the maximum amount of money from each victim.
The scale and methods of this scheme are reminiscent of other high-profile cases where criminals used the internet for coercion and manipulation. For instance, a recent incident in Spain involving a TV show participant's panic attack sparked discussions about psychological pressure — more details can be found in the article about the interrupted broadcast of a popular show.
All those detained have been charged with extortion, forming a criminal organization, money laundering, violating drug laws, illegal possession of weapons, and animal cruelty. The police are continuing their investigation and urge potential victims to seek help.
