Norwegian fugitive arrested in Spain over €720,000 fraud
Suspect accused of scamming victims through fake sales and phishing schemes faces extradition to Norway
A 20-year-old Norwegian man has been arrested in Rojales, a town in Spain’s Alicante province, under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Norwegian authorities. He is accused of committing aggravated fraud in Norway in 2023, involving at least 37 separate offences.The arrest was carried out by Spain’s National Police after Norwegian investigators identified his residence in Rojales. The European Arrest Warrant was communicated to the Alicante National Police through the International Cooperation Section of the Alicante Prosecutor’s Office. Once informed, Spanish officers launched a search operation and detained the fugitive as he was leaving his home.
The alleged frauds were multifaceted. The suspect reportedly deceived users of an application into paying for goods that were never delivered. Additionally, he is accused of orchestrating phishing scams, sending fake messages that appeared to be from official bodies like the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration and the Norwegian Tax Administration.
These messages tricked recipients into providing sensitive information, subsequently persuading them to divulge further banking and personal details. This led to unauthorised transfers amounting to several million Norwegian kroner from the victims’ bank accounts.
The total losses from these scams are estimated to be at least 8.4 million Norwegian kroner, equivalent to approximately €720,000. If convicted, the suspect could face a prison sentence of up to six years in Norway.
Following standard legal procedures, the detainee has been placed at the disposal of the Central Investigative Court of the National High Court in Spain, which will oversee his extradition process.
Image: Kindel Media/Pexels
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