Daniel M. V., a 29-year-old man considered one of the most active cyber scammers in Spain, has been arrested in Romania after accumulating over 300 complaints throughout the country. He was involved in various types of scams, including vacation rental fraud, Whatsapp account hijacking, and the well-known emergency scam where individuals pretend to be a family member in trouble. A joint investigation by the National Police and Civil Guard brought him back to Spain, where he is currently in provisional custody after being brought before the courts in Pamplona. Additionally, four other individuals in Murcia, Malaga, Alicante, and Tenerife were arrested for their alleged roles in assisting with money laundering through various bank accounts. Investigators found transactions worth €10 million in the accounts they examined.
The operation dubbed Kalinka-Tyrant began nearly three years ago when five reports of Whatsapp account kidnappings and eight reports of similar crimes were filed with the police. Further investigations indicated Daniel M. V. as the leader of an organized group responsible for various cybercrimes. The over 300 complaints filed against him included cyber-kidnappings, rental scams, fraudulent microloans, and the emergency scam among others. Despite being wanted in Spain for multiple charges, Daniel M. V. had been living discreetly in a modest neighborhood in Romania with the support of his family.
Daniel M. V. had a total of 33 different judicial warrants against him from various courts in Spain, three of which called for his imprisonment. A joint team of the Civil Guard and National Police enlisted the help of Romanian authorities, who eventually located him in a suburb of Bucharest where he was arrested in February. During a search of his residence, law enforcement officers discovered an industrial printer used for creating false identification documents, which he allegedly used to open bank accounts under other people’s identities to launder illegally obtained money, with transactions exceeding €10 million.
The investigation also revealed the existence of a cryptocurrency mining station at his residence, as well as various fraudulent credit cards, 55 counterfeit Spanish identity documents, and numerous card templates ready for printing. The operation involved officers from the Technological Crimes Unit of the National Police’s Judicial Brigade in Navarra, as well as the Organic Unit of the Civil Guard’s Judicial Police in the same region. Daniel M. V.’s expertise lay in creating fake identities to open bank accounts and cover his tracks, allowing him to scam victims through various means, including email phishing, malicious software downloads, and other forms of cyber fraud.
In conclusion, the arrest of Daniel M. V. in Romania marks a significant milestone in the fight against cybercrime in Spain, revealing the extent and sophistication of his operations, which spanned multiple types of scams and affected numerous victims. His arrest was the result of a coordinated effort between Spanish and Romanian authorities, demonstrating the importance of international collaboration in fighting cybercriminals who operate across borders. The investigation uncovered a complex network of fraudulent activities and money laundering schemes, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and cooperation to combat cybercrime in an increasingly digital world.
