Law enforcement officials from Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine have carried out 25 searches in a case of investment fraud, illegal access to computer systems and fraudulent financial operations. According to prosecutors, the damage exceeds 13 million Moldovan lei, reports IPN.<\/p>\n\n
The Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Bucharest Court of Appeal stated that the joint investigation was coordinated by Eurojust and received assistance from Europol. According to Romanian prosecutors, the group used deepfake type video materials, created with the help of artificial intelligence, to promote false investments. The clips featured public figures from Romania, such as the prime minister or the governor of the National Bank, who encouraged the public to invest in cryptocurrencies or shares in various state companies.<\/p>\n\n
Interested individuals were encouraged to submit applications on websites managed by the respective group, and were subsequently contacted by phone by operators who assessed their financial situation and directed them towards fictitious trading platforms. In order to gain control over the funds, victims were convinced to provide their bank card details or to install remote access software, which allowed the criminals to access internet banking applications.<\/p>\n\n
Law enforcement officials have so far identified 43 victims, and the damage amounts to over 3.6 million Romanian lei, equivalent to over 13 million Moldovan lei. During the 25 house searches carried out in Romania and Ukraine, law enforcement seized over 150 computer systems, including laptops and mobile phones, luxury watches and 157 thousand euros.<\/p>\n\n
The prosecutors from Bucharest have specified that in Romania, seven individuals are under investigation, of which only two have been located, the rest being on the territory of states outside the European Union. Contacted by IPN, the PCCOCS representatives announced that they will provide more details at a later stage of the criminal investigation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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