Leiria couple detained on suspicion of fraud

The Leiria Judicial Police arrested a couple on suspicion of money laundering and qualified fraud as part of an investigation into the “hello father, hello mother” scam, the criminal police said on Friday.

According to the statement, the Leiria Criminal Investigation Department (DIC) of the Judicial Police (PJ) arrested a couple, aged 36 and 23, suspected of crimes related to money laundering and qualified fraud, as part of the “Hello Father, Hello Mother” program. ‘ fraud. .

The arrests, which took place in the municipality of Leiria, were the culmination of “an intensive investigative process that lasted about 10 months and which to date has included a total of 21 investigations spread throughout the country.”

According to the investigation, the joint venture established that the spouses, through their accounts and the accounts of third parties, received funds from the victims, which were immediately distributed among accounts in European countries, and then transferred to one of the South American countries, to the accounts of the titled couple.

“The amounts obtained through fraud and laundered through circulation through national and European accounts and destined for the country of origin of the detainees amount to large tens of thousands of euros.”

The Judicial Police will continue the investigation to fully quantify and identify the number of citizens who became victims of the criminal scheme.

Taking into account the results of the evidence collected, the SP asked the holder of the criminal case (Department of Investigations and Criminal Affairs of Leiria) to issue an arrest warrant and conduct a search of the house.

During the search, “a corresponding collection of material evidence was seized, and 45 military-caliber ammunition was also seized.”

The detainees will be brought before the court to apply appropriate coercive measures.