Over the past few years, Belgrade has unfortunately emerged as a hotspot for sophisticated international onlinescams. These scams target unsuspecting clients worldwide, enticing them into investing in fictitious financialinstruments like stocks or cryptocurrencies through deceptive online trading platforms.
Official statements from Eurojust and Europol underline the gravity of the situation, marking the coordination oftwo international arrest operations across Serbia, Germany, and Cyprus in early 2023. The objective of thesestrategic operations is to dismantle the intricate web of illicit activities.
However, it's crucial to note that the legal proceedings are still in the preliminary stages, and charges are yet to beformally filed. In Serbia alone, it's estimated that the potential involvement could extend to a significant number,ranging between 150 to 200 individuals. The enforcement agencies seized a substantial volume of data—approximately 100 terabytes—during these operations. The confiscated assets include luxury items like cars,including a Jaguar, and a residence situated in the prestigious Belgrade Waterfront district.
The scale of the scam reaches a global level, with suspicions of over 127,000 victims worldwide. These are individuals who, at some point, entrusted their investments by depositing funds into deceptive platforms. Depositsvaried widely, ranging from a few hundred to well over a million dollars or euros. Notably, the largest individualpayment identified by prosecutors thus far is a significant financial loss.
This staggering number of potentially affected individuals revolves around two key companies, ASGARD and Olympus Prime, both currently under intense scrutiny. Investigators suspect a strong interconnection betweenthese entities, adding complexity to an already intricate web of fraudulent activities
Below you can read the latest news on online trading fraud.
