PANews reported on June 30 that according to Bitcoin.com, Europol announced that the Spanish National Guard, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Estonia, France and the United States, smashed a cryptocurrency investment fraud gang that defrauded more than 5,000 victims worldwide. The operation led to the arrest of five people, three of whom were arrested in the Canary Islands and two in Madrid. It is believed that the criminal network laundered approximately $539 million (approximately 460 million euros) in illegal proceeds through fraudulent investment schemes.

Investigators found that the criminals operated a global network of associates to facilitate cash withdrawals, bank transfers and cryptocurrency transfers, while also allegedly setting up companies and banking infrastructure in Hong Kong to manage criminal funds. The investigation, which has been supported by Europol since 2023, highlights the growing threat of online fraud, which Europol considers a major risk to internal security in the European Union.