Guardia Civil dismantles online gambling identity-fraud network, detaining 12
Enforcement & compliance1 min read
Spain’s Guardia Civil dismantled an international criminal network accused of using stolen identities to operate online gambling accounts, detaining 12 people, investigating 11 and identifying 39 others abroad. Investigators linked the case to 36 alleged offences; 36 similar complaints were recorded during the 2025 tax-return campaign, with €121,355 in claims reported.
An international network accused of impersonating people to use online gambling platforms has been dismantled by Spain's Guardia Civil. The investigation led to 12 arrests and identified eleven people under investigation, as well as 39 others outside Spain.
Those implicated are accused of 36 offences involving identity theft, fraud, money laundering, document falsification and membership of a criminal organisation. The network used other people's personal details to open accounts and diverted winnings to accounts it controlled, leaving victims liable for tax on purported gains recorded in their returns.
The operation began in March 2024 after a complaint in Tudela de Duero, Valladolid. During the 2025 tax-return campaign, up to 36 similar complaints were recorded in the Guardia Civil's jurisdiction. Affected people found supposed income from online bets they had never placed in their draft tax returns. The total amount claimed was €121,355.
Investigators found that the organisation used social engineering and artificial intelligence to tailor messages and stories to victims and obtain their personal details. The pretexts included false job offers, fraudulent holiday rental advertisements and fictitious hotel bookings. Victims were persuaded to provide copies of identity documents, which were then used to register gambling accounts without their knowledge or consent.