Nine people were arrested for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme to sell plane tickets between mainland Portugal and Madeira, causing the state several million euros in losses, judicial police said on Friday.
According to the statement, the scheme involved two travel agencies in the Azores that sold airline tickets at below-market prices to later receive reimbursement through a regional social mobility subsidy program.
Invoices were issued for advertising amounts ranging from 10 to 50 euros, and then duplicated with the employee’s name and a high service charge.
With the clients’ details in hand, agency staff contacted CTTS to seek refunds. For tickets with an average price of 150 euros, the refund amounted to 3,300 euros.
During the operation, six men and three women were arrested for the offenses of skilled fraud, forgery and grant fraud. They are also charged with money laundering.
The PS conducted 26 searches throughout the country and seized more than 460 thousand euros, a boat and ten high-powered vehicles.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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