Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Spain Arrests 34 in Europol-Backed Sweep Targeting Black Axe Fraud Ring

Authorities link the cell to business email compromise schemes using money mules to move stolen funds.

Overview

  • Spanish National Police, working with Bavaria’s criminal police and Europol, made arrests in Seville (28), Madrid (3), Málaga (2) and Barcelona (1).
  • Investigators froze €119,352 in bank accounts and seized €66,403 in cash during house searches, alongside electronic devices and vehicles.
  • The group is accused of man-in-the-middle operations, most commonly business email compromise, by hijacking corporate email to divert payments.
  • Losses tied to the Spanish cell are estimated at about €5.9 million, according to Europol and Spanish authorities.
  • Four principal suspects are in pretrial detention on charges including aggravated continuous fraud, membership in a criminal organization, money laundering, document forgery and obstruction of justice, and police say the probe remains active with further arrests possible.