Post by : Badri Ariffin

Law enforcement agencies have disrupted a large-scale online fraud and money-laundering operation that reached across continents and affected millions of consumers. German authorities reported 18 arrests after synchronized actions involving investigators from several countries.

Prosecutors determined that between 2016 and 2021 the syndicate captured more than 4.3 million credit card records belonging to people in 193 countries. The suspects set up deceptive websites mimicking streaming, dating and entertainment services and billed victims through sham subscription charges, resulting in illicit proceeds estimated at over €300 million (roughly S$450 million).

Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office said the group compromised four major German payment service providers to launder funds. Officials did not name the companies but indicated the suspects masked illegal transfers to resemble legitimate consumer purchases.

On the night of November 4, law-enforcement teams executed concurrent searches in several jurisdictions — including Germany, Luxembourg, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy, Singapore and the United States. Authorities described the operation as one of the largest coordinated responses to cross-border digital financial crime in recent years.

Investigators said the action is a major advance in tackling evolving cyber-enabled fraud networks. The probe remains active, with additional arrests and asset seizures anticipated as enquiries continue.

#Global