Officers seized cash from criminals across Europe in raids connected to a £10.6m fraud targeting US banks. Europol
Officers seized cash from criminals across Europe in raids connected to a £10.6m fraud targeting US banks. Europol
Officers seized cash from criminals across Europe in raids connected to a £10.6m fraud targeting US banks. Europol
Officers seized cash from criminals across Europe in raids connected to a £10.6m fraud targeting US banks. Europol

Europol breaks up criminal network that scammed £10.6m from US banks


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

More than 100 people were arrested across Europe for stealing £10.6 million ($14.3m) from banks in the US.

The scam, which used shell companies in Europe, led to police freezing 87 bank accounts containing £1.1m.

More than 80 properties were searched and the 105 people arrested include a British citizen, two Austrians, 11 Greeks and 23 people in Spain.

Video footage of the raids shows €406,000 ($486,674) in cash and 14 luxury cars seized by police.

The eight-month operation by Europe's crime agency Europol and led by the Spanish National Police and the US Secret Service, resulted in the dismantling of an organised crime group involved in fraud and money laundering.

More than 50 American financial institutions were victims of the fraud, losing more than £10.6m.

"The criminal organisation, mainly formed of Greek nationals, set up shell companies in the United States and opened bank accounts for these companies," Europol said.

"To gain the trust of the financial institutions, members of the criminal network made transfers to the US-based accounts from different locations in the EU.

"Based on this trust, the American-based banks issued debit and credit cards for these accounts. Retailers in on the scam, most of whom were in Spain, used the payment cards to finance the available credited amounts on the cards.

"To launder the stolen funds, they transferred them to different bank accounts, owned by members of the criminal network located in several EU countries."

The Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce at Europol supported the operation using a team of cyber liaison officers. The operation involved police services from Austria, Denmark and Greece, as well as the US Department of Justice and the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

SUZUME
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Full Party in the Park line-up

2pm – Andreah

3pm – Supernovas

4.30pm – The Boxtones

5.30pm – Lighthouse Family

7pm – Step On DJs

8pm – Richard Ashcroft

9.30pm – Chris Wright

10pm – Fatboy Slim

11pm – Hollaphonic

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars 

BLACKBERRY
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David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Match info

Deccan Gladiators 87-8

Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16

Maratha Arabians 89-2

Chadwick Walton 51 not out

Arabians won the final by eight wickets

Recent winners

2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)

2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)

2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)

2007 Grace Bijjani  (Mexico)

2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)

2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)

2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)

2011 Maria Farah (Canada)

2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)

2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)              

2014 Lia Saad  (UAE)

2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)

2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)

2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)

2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)

'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai, 
HBKU Press 

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Defending champions

World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack

Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
  • Drones
  • Animals
  • Fireworks/ flares
  • Radios or power banks
  • Laser pointers
  • Glass
  • Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
  • Sharp objects
  • Political flags or banners
  • Bikes, skateboards or scooters
THE BIO

Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.

Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.

She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.

Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring  the natural world.