Interpol Investigation Leads to Illegal Gambling Arrests in Spain

An Interpol investigation has prompted the Spanish National Police Force to arrest dozens of alleged “betting mules.” According to the international criminal police organization, the arrestees might have been involved in an international fraudulent scheme.

The arrests follow an investigation that ran from January 29 to February 1 and involved Interpol, Europol and the Spanish Tax Agency. In total, the Spanish police arrested 53 people in Madrid and Guadalajara. The scheme they were allegedly involved in spanned across 20 countries and manipulated sporting events.

The illegal scheme sought to benefit from predetermined outcomes of soccer, tennis and table tennis events in countries such as Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania and Bolivia, among others. Using cutting-edge software, the criminals intercepted satellite signals, getting access to feeds earlier and placing bets that are sure to win.

The 53 arrestees had allegedly served as “betting mules,” meaning that they sold their personal information and wagering accounts to the illegal network. As a result, the organization’s ringleaders were able to defraud gambling operators and win millions. Following that, the criminals would launder the money through a complex money laundering system.

The investigation learned that the organization controlled some 1,500 betting accounts and had collected over EUR 2 million in winnings.

As a result of their involvement in the illegal operation, the 53 arrestees now face charges for involvement in a criminal organization and participation in fraud and money laundering.

The arrests are a part of the second phase of an investigation that was launched in 2020. Prior to the current arrests, law enforcers arrested 22 people, including the organization’s leaders.

Betting Fraud Continues to Be a Problem

Betting fraud continues to be one of the biggest problems of the contemporary sports and sports betting industries.

In December, the 10^th session of the Conference of the States Parties, saw noteworthy participants discuss the issue. They emphasized the profitable nature of gambling-related fraud, saying that it is the chief reason for the rampant match-fixing problems.

Not everything is grim, however, as IBIA’s latest report highlighted a drastic decline in sports betting fraud. According to the international association, strict enforcement tends to yield good results.