Alex Trelinski
A Valencia-based sextortion gang that netted €104,000 from users of an escort site has been brought down by the Guardia Civil.
The ringleader was arrested in Valencia along with two colleagues in the area.
Seven other people who acted as ‘financial mules’ for the plot have been detained in Albacete, Lugo, and Madrid.
Investigations started a year ago when a Burgos man registered on an escort website.
He made a phone contact with a woman whose services he decided not to use.
Shortly afterwards, he started to get threatening calls and texts on his phone demanding money.
Serious reprisals were promised against him and his family if he did not pay up.
The frightened man transferred over €1,000 to the crooks and the Guardia Civil uncovered 47 other people who were also extorted.
The gang operated with a high degree of professionalism moving money via mules between bank accounts and running the extortion via 35 mobile phones.
Some of the cash was transferred to South American bank accounts.
READ MORE:
- SEXTORTION ARRESTS: Eight people detained in Spain’s Valencia for blackmailing clients with fake prostitution services
- Police reveal 19 victims of ‘sextortion’ throughout Spain, four arrested in Madrid
- “Give me €50,000 or I’ll share your videos online”: the new breed of cybercriminals tricking Spanish teens into sextortion
