Extradited from Croatia to Portugal on suspicion of computer fraud worth thousands of euros

The Judicial Police (JP) has extradited from Croatia to Portugal a foreign citizen suspected of computer fraud, tax fraud and money laundering, including crimes involving funds exceeding 250,000 euros.

According to the JV statement, a European Arrest Warrant (MDE) against a suspect aged 30 was issued by Amadora’s Department of Investigation and Criminal Affairs (DIAP) prosecutor, and a complex transnational investigation is at stake regarding a “mode of operation” known as “compromised business email”, which consists of exploiting vulnerabilities in the electronic communications of certain companies, followed by intrusion into the computer system of the victims.

“Having established a business relationship with a third party, the criminal agent replaces the creditor and sends the debtor a fake email message similar to the original messages, requesting that the payment be changed to a new bank account set up solely to receive illegal funds,” the JV says through the Division for International Cooperation (UCI), supported by the National Cybercrime and Technology Crime Unit (UNC3T) of the judiciary.

The facts date back to 2021, when the JV learned that the suspect had set up two companies in Portugal and opened six bank accounts in his own name and nine accounts in the name of two companies, which circulated funds in excess of 250,000 euros from crimes.

According to the joint venture, the investigation determined that the suspect harmed victims in the UK, US, Singapore, Australia, Spain, France and Germany, in addition to Portugal.

In general, crimes related to money laundering, computer and communication fraud, document forgery, illegal access, computer forgery and tax fraud will be committed.

The suspect has already been subjected to the first judicial interrogation and a preventive measure in the form of detention has been applied to him.