Spanish Police Dismantle Romance Scam Network Defrauding €100K+ from 55 Families

Spanish National Police have dismantled a criminal network running online romance scams, which diverted over €100,000 from 55 families who paid for holidays that were never provided by a travel agency in Málaga.

The agency's manager, the main suspect now held in pre-trial detention, fell victim to a romance scam herself. She developed an online relationship with a man posing as a soldier stationed in Lebanon, who requested financial help. She then actively collaborated with the group, transferring client funds to various bank accounts, mostly abroad, before the money was converted into cryptocurrencies.

An investigation revealed the agency abruptly closed its family-run business. Police tracked €280,000 in transfers over less than a year. Around 80% of the defrauded funds ended up in a bank account in Guissona, Lleida, belonging to another woman who had also suffered a romance scam and was later used as a money mule. From there, the cash flowed to cryptocurrency platforms and a local IT firm.

Dubbed Operation Florazo, the probe led to 11 arrests on charges of fraud and money laundering across Málaga (five), Sevilla (one), Valladolid (one), Lleida (two), and Barcelona (two). Seven home searches yielded €28,730 in cash and $8,725 in crypto assets. Authorities have seized three vehicles and blocked ten properties worth about €600,000.

Recent detentions occurred in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Medina del Campo, and Camas in Sevilla, including a suspected middleman in cryptocurrency conversions. The investigation remains open.