It was dismantled by the Athens Security Sub-Directorate of the Directorate of Prosecution and Investigation of Crimes of Attica, a criminal organization made up of -37- members. Already, a case file has been filed against them, among other things – as the case may be – for directing and forming a criminal organization, by profession and by extension frauds and frauds by calculation.
Among the members of the organization are both leaders who defined the identity of the organization and determined the methodology, having full control over the action of the rest of the members.
The organization, infrastructure, preparation, coordination, planning, methodicality of their actions, the general behavior of the members and their strictly defined and distinct roles, are representative of the professionalism of the criminal organization in question, since they used techniques and methods applied by very well organized criminal groups.
Their modus operandi
Table of Contents
The organization’s methodology was based on different ways of acting each time and by presenting false facts as true, but also by making use of false identity information, they succeeded in deceiving citizens. Specifically, they mainly used the following tricks:
Methodology 1st
It involved the posting on online platforms of virtual advertisements, relating to the sale of cars and agricultural machinery, at a very low and tempting price, in order to attract the interest of a large number of prospective buyers, asking for an advance payment from interested buyers in order to come to an agreement.
Methodology 2nd
It concerned telephone calls by the members of the organization, pretending to be employees of public bodies to citizens under the pretext that they are beneficiaries of either a government subsidy or a refund. Under the pretext of receiving the amount of money immediately, the prospective victims were guided by the members of the organization in actions to extort their amounts of money.
Methodology 3rd
It involved telephone calls by the members of the organization, pretending to be employees of the cooperating accounting office of the prospective victims, who were owners or employees of kiosks and mini-markets and under the pretext of having to upgrade the cash register system, persuaded the latter to issue prepaid cards and to announce to the members of the organization their code.
When an amount of money is deposited by sufferers, it is absorbed from the original account of a member of the organization immediately, either by transferring to another bank account via e-banking and the immediate withdrawal of the amount, or similarly to another bank account via e-banking and then the proceeds from their criminal activity are transferred directly to other bank accounts. They also several times made direct purchases through online bank accounts, “cashing out” the money for products of value for possible resale.
Finding and then recruiting bank account beneficiaries was done by both senior and junior members of the organization, who were looking for people in financial need (drug users, gambling addicts, beggars, etc.), who provided their bank details (money mules), since they rely on money bank transfers through these accounts, which are recorded and traceable after lifting bank secrecy. These individuals, receiving from -300- to -500- euros from the organization, handed over bank data, cards and the telephone connection identified in their bank – mobile phone device on which they received the one-time codes (OTPs) to the members of the organization.
They were then instructed to falsely report that they had been stolen, after the fraud was completed and the money was withdrawn.
The areas where the organization operated
The organization acted like a well-organized business with huge profits, part of which was legitimized with all kinds of purchases, such as high-horsepower vehicles, housing construction, multiple purchases, etc. and with a constant pursuit of the acquisition of illegal material benefit, while at the same time the autonomy of the organization was not affected by the physical status of its members.
Although the above course of action was designed to leave no traces, the ongoing action of the organization was focused on absorbing the money immediately, in order not to lose it in case the original account was blocked by the bank.
From the entirety of the preliminary investigation, the continuous action of the organization from the beginning of October of the year 2022 without territorial limitation throughout the Greek territory was ascertained. The organization had as its “centers” the area of settlements of Zevgolatio and Hexamilia Corinthia and also Argos Argolidos, where they had set up their headquarters – telephone centers.
A key role in the operation of the organization was played by the operational centers consisting of the enlisted members who were in charge of withdrawing cash from the automatic transaction machines (ATMs), taking protective measures (masks, hoods).
Salamina was the operational center of Zeugolatios and the Six Miles of Corinth, due to its geographical specificity and the large recruitment of members achieved by the organization.
Accordingly, Amaliada and Gastouni Ilias formed the operational center of Argos for the same reasons.
How they were erasing their tracks
Part of the money received from the ATMs was used to pay the recruits, while the bulk of the money ended up, either by hand delivery or through money transfer companies, to the directors of the organization.
In order to serve and achieve their criminal aims, they were provided with a multitude of “ghost phones” telephone connections and telephone devices, which often corresponded to telephone connections with consecutive dialing numbers and were mostly named after third parties, specifically foreigners.
In addition, some of its members trafficked in narcotics, an activity beneficial to the wider operation of the organization, as they had contacts with users from whom in many cases they recruited their bank details.
In the context of the large-scale operation that took place in the morning hours of 26-11-2024, and led to the arrest of -25- members, a number of bank cards, bank books, electronic devices and telephone connections, weapons, flare gun, tazer, number of vehicles, amount of money and quantities of drugs.
The arrested members were taken to the Athens District Attorney.
The business of ELAS
#ring #defrauding #citizens #ghost #cars #dismantled
## Echoes of ‘The Wolf of Wall street’: Inside Greece’s Dismantled €4 Million Criminal Syndicate
**World Today News Exclusive Interview with Dr.Eleni Dimitriou, Expert on Organized Crime**
**World Today News:** Dr. Dimitriou, thank you for joining us today. Greek authorities have just dismantled a sophisticated criminal association responsible for defrauding citizens of millions of Euros. Can you tell our readers more about the scope of this operation?
**Dr. Dimitriou:** This was a highly organized criminal syndicate, encompassing 37 members, that operated with disturbing professionalism. We’re talking about sophisticated methodologies, meticulously planned strategies, and a clear hierarchy mirroring those found in well-established criminal enterprises.
**World Today News:** The authorities described their modus operandi as “diverse and adaptable.” Can you elaborate on the specific tactics they employed?
**Dr. Dimitriou:** This syndicate was remarkably chameleon-like. Their tactics included online schemes Luring victims with impossibly low prices for cars and agricultural machinery, only to demand advance payments that, of course, vanished.
Then there were the impersonation scams. Members would pose as government officials offering bogus subsidies or refunds, tricking individuals into transferring funds. And in a especially chilling tactic, they targeted kiosk owners, pretending to be from their accounting firms and convincing them to provide prepaid card details under the guise of upgrading their cash register systems.
**World Today News:** This level of sophistication suggests a high degree of technological expertise.
**Dr. dimitriou:** Absolutely. Their understanding of online platforms, payment systems, and even mobile banking security was extraordinary, and deeply worrying. They clearly exploited vulnerabilities and manipulated systems to their advantage.
**World Today News:** The Greek authorities also mentioned the recruitment of “money mules.” Explain the role these individuals played.
**Dr. Dimitriou:** These were the syndicate’s financial facilitators, frequently enough vulnerable individuals facing economic hardship. they were lured with small payments to provide their bank accounts and even their mobile phones, essentially becoming conduits for the stolen funds.
**World Today News:** How were these mules compensated for risking their own financial security?
**Dr. dimitriou**: they were offered paltry sums, 300 to 500 Euros, a pittance compared to the millions stolen.This highlights the desperation and exploitation at the heart of these criminal networks.
**World Today News:** What was the estimated value of the stolen funds?
**Dr. Dimitriou:** Authorities believe the organization siphoned off approximately €4 million, a staggering sum that clearly illustrates the scale and profitability of their operation.
**World Today News:** Have authorities identified the leaders of this syndicate?
**Dr. Dimitriou:** Yes, senior members who played a key role in shaping the organization’s structure and strategies have been identified. their arrest is a major blow to the syndicate and hopefully signals a strong deterrent to other groups considering similar illegal activities.
**World today News:** This case appears to highlight a disturbing trend of organized crime exploiting technology and economic vulnerability.What lessons can we learn from this?
**Dr. Dimitriou:** this case acts as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of criminal activity and the need for constant vigilance. We must invest in robust cybersecurity measures, educate individuals about online scams, and provide support systems for those at risk of exploitation. We must also continue to dismantle these criminal networks and bring their leaders to justice.
